Shattered Ice Broken Heart
by Toshiro29
Summary: Blizzard of '68 things take a twist for the worst. Jack disappears with nobody noticing until MiM chooses a new guardian. Now the Guardians are faced with the horrifying fact that they failed to protect a child, one that's been at the mercy of Pitch for decades. Jack Frost they knew is gone, his will broken, and with no strength left. The stakes are higher than they've ever been.
1. Twist of fate

_**UPDATED CHAPTER! I noticed how badly written the chapter was and I went back and edited it. There's no big changes I just fixed a lot of the mistakes there were.**_

**I already had this idea in my head for a while I just couldn't get it out of my head. So I decided to give it a go. I'm not really sure where this story is going but I just had to get it out of my head. I'm sure that's happened to a lot of people. Anyways I'll try to update as soon as possible and hopefully you'll enjoy it. Maybe if you like it you'll leave a review? It's my first story so I'm excited to see where this go.**

** This first chapter is during the blizzard of '68.**

** Rated T, for violence, and mistreatment. I don't think there's going to be any language and if there is it'll only be like one word. Read at your discretion. There will be abuse, but not anything sexual. **

** Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG or make any profit from this.**

_Flashbacks/memories_

* * *

**Been a long time. Blizzard of 68, I believe? Easter Sunday wasn't it?**

* * *

Snow littered the ground covering it in a heavy amount. Trees sparkled in the sunlight. Lakes were frozen, making it the perfect ice ring. The sight was beautiful, a winter wonderland, if it wasn't for the fact that there wasn't supposed to be snow. Especially such a heavy amount. Not one slim of green was visible through the snow. This meant that the eggs that were hidden weren't visible. It was a strange sight to see a blizzard this late in season, but that wasn't the most peculiar sight.

Standing in a snow covered forest was a bunny. Said Bunny was the Easter Bunny, the Guardian of Hope. He was looming over a boy. His face was full of distaste and anger. He barely seemed to be holding back his anger. Bunny's eyes were narrowed at the boy in front of him.

The boy pushed back his white hair, revealing his two majestic blue eyes. He shoved a hand into his blue sweater, and stared back Bunny. He had brown pants that were cut off high above his ankles, which had no shoes on, not even socks. In his other hand stood a crooked staff which was a bit taller than him. His face was unblemished which added even more to his attractive face. He would have looked even more attractive if he didn't have a firm frown set on his face.

The boy was cut off by Bunny as he continued to yell at him. The boy shrank back a little as his voice got louder. Bunny who was completely unaware of the distress he was causing raised his fist as if to strike him. The reaction was instantaneous. The white-haired boy stumbled back as if he had actually been hit. His shining blue eyes opened in shock. His hair blowing back as the wind curled around him, ready to take him away at moment's notice.

"I told you Bunny, I didn't _mean _too!" The boy protested. There was a hint of annoyance that overlapped the nervousness he was feeling.

Bunny lowered his fist instead choosing to glare at the boy. "Either way Frostbite stay away. Stop making blizzards near Easter! Got it?" Bunny took a deep breath before continuing. "I have only one holiday and I have to make sure it's the best I can make it."

'Frostbite' sighed shaking his head. "Please Bunny just hear me out okay?"

Bunny huffed. "Ain't got time for that. I have to go clean _someone's _mistake. For the last time Jack Frost stay away from me and Easter!" With that Bunny turned around, shivering as he noticed how cold he was.

_He _the Easter Bunny did not appreciate the cold. His paws were on the verge of getting frostbite. He might be made of steel but that didn't mean he couldn't be made a Popsicle. Bunny started walking away, but for a moment he thought he saw something move from the corner of his vision.

He ignored it and instead blinked a couple of times He still couldn't shake the eerie feeling that something was wrong. His muscles tensed in anticipation in case something happened. He also had his boomerangs if anything happened. Bunny would be able to defend himself.

* * *

Jack sighed sagging his head in defeat. He lowered his staff that he had been holding defensively in front of him. He hadn't meant to start a blizzard. The snow was just supposed to be a harmless covering. He didn't think that it would turn into a blizzard. Even when he tried to pull back the storm he found that he couldn't.

It just showed how unpredictable nature was. So he sat there watching hopelessly as the snow fell harder and harder covering the ground. Knowing he'd be in trouble with the Easter _kangaroo_ he prepared himself for what was going to be an earful. True to his word Bunny had appeared, scaring Jack to the point where he had almost frozen him solid, telling him that he was good for nothing.

He would never admit it but that had hurt more than he would have liked. Years of solitude and the first direct contact he had was Bunny insulting him. After he had finished putting him down he went on about how Easter symbolized hope. That with all the snow the kids wouldn't be able to find the eggs.

Jack had rolled his eyes telling him that the snow would melt, there was no harm done right? Apparently that wasn't what Bunny had thought. He'd given him a look that had shaken Jack to his core. He would have rather had Bunny give him his dirtiest glare or even hit him. Instead Bunny had given him a look full of disappointment, as if he didn't understand anything which, Jack figured he probably didn't.

For a moment Jack had been taken back. He had been scared of the disappointment he had seen in Bunny's eyes. Scared that nobody would ever accept him. Jack tried to pull back his emotions, to put on a careless face. Complete with a cocky grin. But even when he waved Bunny off the mask didn't seem to fit. Unknown to him his eyes were betraying him, showing his uncertainty.

He had raised his staff in front of him. An action that brought comfort to him and came naturally. Even with his staff to comfort him he still felt himself doubting. Jack tried to shake it off trying, to convince himself that it didn't matter. He was fine.

He _would _be fine.

* * *

The fear that Jack had radiated had attracted the attention of an evil that was lurking in the shadows. A pair of seemingly golden eyes were the only thing visible in the dark. Its eyes narrowed as a dark, cruel intention appeared in them. The shadow detached itself from the tree he had been watching the dilemma unfold from. It slithered closer to the pair, hiding behind a rock that was facing Jack's back. A sinister chuckle escaped his lips as a plan made itself know in his mind.

He waited patiently until Bunny turned around and was a safe distance away before making his way towards the unsuspecting child. His back was facing him with his staff held in his hand loosely. Pitch knew he needed to get rid of the staff. The child was powerful with it. He had seen Jack enough times to know what he could do with it. And he wasn't about to let his plan get ruined because of a wooden stick. He was going to get rid of that nuisance.

He would make sure that Jack never saw it again.

He observed him as he approached. His shoulders were dropped, and his head was lowered. There seemed to be an air of depression around him. All in all he was a pathetic sight to see. One that only Pitch could be pleased with. Oh, he _would _make sure to retain that atmosphere. Why the only thing missing was fear. How delicious it was and it only was a small portion. A teaser that Pitch couldn't wait to try. He was going to get every last drop.

The boy was so engrossed in his thoughts that he never noticed the dark looming figure that was behind him. He almost laughed at how easy this was coming out to be. Jack had his guard down so much that he was sure he could kill him now without Jack even reacting.

He wouldn't have minded a fight considering he had gone so long being dormant. How long had it been since he had last fought? So many years had gone by that he couldn't remember. But that wasn't why he was here. That could wait, soon he would have his chance. His main objective was capturing Jack.

He opened his hand observing the black sand that swirled around. It wasn't perfect yet, it certainly wasn't by a long shot. He was still experimenting with it but, for now it would serve its purpose. Pitch seemingly floated forward until he was behind him. With a gentle nudge he let the black sand fly towards the boy's feet, and towards his head. Jack finally raised his head noticing the sand but it was too late.

Pitch imagined his eyebrows scrunching up in confusion, and his mouth starting to form a frown. Grinning in a way that showed all his sharp teeth his outstretched hand curled into a fist. The sand responded immediately. It tied around his feet pulling them together and forming a gag around his mouth, effectively cutting off any way to call for help. Wouldn't want the rabbit to hear them now, would he?

Jack stumbled back losing his balance. His arms flailed around as he tried to remain standing. Pitch took that opportunity to yank the staff out of his hand. His fingers twitched as they tried to grab the staff but it was hopeless. A moment later Jack crashed into his chest. Pitch made sure to keep the staff out of his reach and moved it out of the way. He summoned more sand and tossed the staff letting the sand carry it away. With his hands he grabbed the boy's wrists together.

Jack thrashed around uselessly trying to get out of his grasp. He twisted and squirmed but Pitch held on firmly. He didn't have to see his face to know that it was starting to fill with fear once he realized that he couldn't escape.

Ah, the fear it was so delicious. Pitch took a deep breath enjoying the intoxicating smell. He would make sure that he enjoyed this to its fullest. He scowled as the boy started to wiggle in his grasp. Pitch looked down as his fingers started to go numb. Frost was starting to form around his hands. He tightened his grip on Jack's wrists until they were close to breaking. The result was immediate. His blue eyes clouded over in pain before he stopped struggling against him.

Jack tried to sag against Pitch but he held him up. His head sagged down a second later. For a moment he thought the boy was going to do something. Pitch mentally shrugged. He had thought Jack would have had more fight in him but, no matter it wou-. His thought was cut off as Jack's head came flying forward hitting him square in the nose.

He let out a hiss in pain as his concentration wavered for a second but it was all Jack needed. The sand loosened from his lack of control. Jack leapt to the opportunity and seized it.

"Bunny! Help me!" Anything else he was going to say was cut off as Pitch yanked him viciously. They disappeared through a shadow appearing behind a boulder. Pitch poured all his concentration on the sand again making sure it was even tighter than before.

Pitch snarled. "You insolent brat! You'll _pay _for that."

The threat was whispered but that didn't make it any less intimidating. Jack squirmed as he felt Pitch's hot breath on his ear. Pitch ignored him and held Jack against his chest making sure he didn't make any noise. He could feel the coldness seeping in through his robe but Pitch hardly noticed as he waited, preparing himself to fight in case Bunny had heard them.

* * *

Jack held his breath, the only thing he could hear was his heart that was hammering against his chest. He faintly wondered if the person holding him could hear his heart pounding. His ears seemed to buzz as he waited for Bunny to appear, his boomerangs blazing as he threatened the person that was holding him. His eyes darted around frantically scanning the area where he was.

Bunny had to come, he was the Guardian of Hope right? He protected hope, gave people hope. Still as the seconds ticked by Jack found his hope starting to waver. He tried to remain positive but he couldn't help the darker thoughts that entered his mind. _Poisoning _it.

Why would Bunny want to save him when he had just caused a blizzard on his holiday? Bunny after all had almost hit him. What was to say he wouldn't just leave him? After all he was Jack Frost, the winter spirit that brought coldness and death. No one believed in him and no one would miss him if he suddenly disappeared. But Bunny couldn't be so cruel, right?

No, Jack thought, Bunny would look for him. Even if he had insulted him Jack had seen him once when he went around hiding eggs. He had seen his face when the children found the eggs. As their faces lit up with joy and hope. He truly cared about the children. With those thoughts Jack's hope strengthened. If he continued to hope Bunny would come for him.

He tried to squirm out of the hold the guy had him in but the guy's fingers seemed to be made of steel. No matter how much he struggled the guy had him in an iron grip. All he got was another painful squeeze that threatened to break his bones. His eyes scrunched up in pain but he remained determined. He had to make noise for Bunny.

He kicked his legs out desperately hoping to rustle some leaves to get Bunny's attention. Bunny had probably heard him but didn't know where he was.

"Stop that right now before I break your staff into so many _pieces_ you won't be able to count them." The voice threatened him. He froze paling dramatically at the terrifying thought of his staff being broken. It was the only way he could fly! He couldn't do much without his staff. It helped him conduct his power. He still didn't know how he had let his staff get taken away from him.

* * *

_He'd been thinking about everything that had happened when black dots had appeared in his vision. He had blinked a couple of times thinking he was going to faint. Why else would he be seeing black dots? Suddenly the dots seemed to come together, forming a line in front of his mouth. He looked at Bunny who was walking away. He was too far away to catch him if he fainted. He didn't get to ponder much as the black line gagged him. His eyes widened in surprise just as his felt his feet being pulled together._

_ He lost his balance and he went flying backwards. His arms started flailing trying to regain some of his balance. Instead he felt his staff get yanked out of his hand. His fingers twitched at the loss of contact with his staff. He didn't get a second to panic when he crashed into something or rather somebody._

_ Somebody wrapped their long arms around him as they pinned both his wrists with their hands. For once Jack cursed how thin his wrists were as slender fingers wrapped tightly around them. He knew immediately that whoever was holding him was a guy. The fingers were too rough and strong to be a woman. Jack began to thrash around knowing the guy that had him wasn't exactly friendly. As he kept thrashing around he realized with horror that he was trapped. _

_He couldn't get free._

_Fear gathered around him seemingly suffocating him. He was being kidnapped. Jack had no idea why or who was kidnapping him all he knew was that he had to get free. He heard the guy breathe in deeply as if he had smelled something pleasurable. Disgusted Jack renewed his attempts at struggling even harder as he tried to get out of his hold. He tried to focus on his powers to freeze the guy's hands. All he managed to do was form frost on his hand. He scrunched his eyes in frustration._

_Without his staff he was powerless. He couldn't even fly, to get away. The guy squeezed his wrist painfully again. Jack stopped struggling as the guy's grip started to get tighter. His knees wavered and refused to hold him anymore. He tried to sag against the guy but he held him up to the point where his feet were starting to lift up from the ground. An idea formed in his head. He leaned his head forward and brought it back with all his might_

_ He was pretty sure he would have a nice bump on his head afterwards but that didn't matter. A bit of pride formed as he heard the guy hiss in pain. The guy loosened his hold slightly but didn't let go of him. However the gag disappeared and that was the only thing that mattered. It was enough for him and he acted._

_ "Bunny! Help me!" He yelled out. His voice was filled with panic and fear. Jack wondered how his voice sounded so panicked. How was it possible for a voice to sound so desperate? His voice rang out through the forest reaching Bunny's sensible ears._

* * *

After being threatened the only thing Jack could do was sit there waiting, _hoping _that Bunny would find him. He was his last hope.

"He's not coming for you." The softness that the words were spoken with made Jack wonder if he imagined it. When the guy pulled him up on the boulder so he could see, Jack knew he hadn't imagined it.

Bunny was frowning as he looked around, obviously not finding him. Bunny was too far away to see him. Jack watched terrified knowing that Bunny couldn't see him.

"Bloody frost. Messin with me." Bunny muttered annoyed. He tapped his foot twice as a hole appeared underneath him. Without hesitations he jumped in.

Jack screamed against the gag. He leaned forward trying to desperately get Bunny's attention but it was already too late. Bunny was already gone the only evidence he was ever there was a flower. Jack leaned his head on the boulder. He didn't get any chance to mourn as the guy yanked him by the hoodie throwing him to the ground. Jack felt all the air get knocked out of him but he ignored the pain and opened his eyes. He got his first look at his kidnapper. His eyebrows knitted in confusion as he saw who it was.

Pitch. Pitch Black, the _boogieman._

Jack didn't even have to ask himself if he really was going to kidnap him as the boogieman stretched his hands out. The black sand like material appeared in his hand. Jack's eyes widened as he saw the sand. His hands that were now free pulled him away as fast as they could from Pitch. He barely got a few feet away from him before the black sand circled him. Jack turned around, his stomach touching the ground.

"I wouldn't move if I were you Jack." Pitch advised. Jack ignored him and instead he tried to wretch his wrist away from the sand that was now wrapping around it. He watched in horror as the sand wrapped around his other wrist before yanking both his hands together bounding them together at the wrists. Knowing there was no way for him to escape he could dragged himself forward making sure that what he was going to do was hidden from Pitch.

Holding his now tied hands in front of him he brushed away some of the snow off of a rock. Touching the flat surface he concentrated on making frost. Slowly the power came out of his fingertips and onto the rock. An image of Pitch holding him appeared. Satisfied he blew on it making sure it would never melt. He brushed the snow back on the rock making sure it was covered. He barely had patted the snow when Pitch spoke.

"What are you doing Jack?" He froze. His heartbeat sped up almost to the point where he thought he was going to pass out. Jack forced himself to turn around and glare at him. Pitch sighed sounding almost disappointed. He snapped his fingers and the sand made its way over to him again. Jack moved away as much as he could until his back touched a broken log. He watched helplessly as the sand circled around his neck before making a collar.

Jack tugged at it viciously. He only succeeded in choking himself. Anger started building up as he tried to freeze it only to have his powers fail. He looked up at Pitch hatefully only to pale when a cord appeared in his hand. He tried to fight him off, kicking and raising his hands trying to hit him. Jack only managed to anger the man as he suddenly backhanded him. Jack's head snapped to the side, a red mark already appearing on his pale skin. His mouth was slightly open in shock as he blinked slowly trying to process the fact that he had just been slapped.

He was still in a daze when Pitch snapped the cord onto the collar. "Just a little leash to keep you in place." The only response Pitch got was a disgusted look. Pitch stood up pulling the cord testing it out. Jack lurched forward much to the boogieman's delight. With the cord in hand Pitch spoke again. "Time to come along now Frosty."

Without further warning Pitch started to walk. Jack tried to get up but with his feet tied he couldn't. The cord stretched out completely now tugging Jack. Jack started to choke as the collar was pulled painfully making him fall backwards. He was dragged across the floor his head hitting rocks, and branches as he was pulled through the forest.

After being half choked to death Pitch finally came to a stop. Jack sucked air in greedily. His throat burned from the lack of air. After a moment of sucking air in he started coughing. Pitch stood by watching him with an expression of humor.

"Done yet?" The question surprised him as he jumped slightly. Not being able to respond Jack glared at him with all the hatred he could. "Tsk, manners. We'll have to fix that now won't we?"

Jack's eyes widened at the implication. Panic was starting to take over as he realized how little chance he had of getting away.

"Anyway we're here. Say hello to your new home. You'll be here for a while." Jack let the panic take over. He thrashed around as last attempt, trying to pull himself as far as he could from the monster that was in front of him. Pitch looked at him obviously amused.

"Hurtful Jack. You don't seem pleased to be here." Pitch said, a nasty grin on his face. "Oh well, you'll get used to it." With a laugh Pitch disappeared down the hole that was in front of him.

Jack looked up the moon that was being covered by the clouds. For the first time in a while he pleaded desperately for the moon to help him. To do anything to get him out of this mess. But like _always _the moon remained silent. A tear escaped his eye as the leash pulled him closer towards a hole into the never ending darkness. He clawed at the dirt, trying to stop himself. Nails chipped, skin was torn, and blood was drawn. It didn't matter because he was being dragged into the darkness.

A place full of hate, anger, sadness, and revenge.

The last thing he saw was the couple of stars that weren't being covered by the clouds before he was swallowed in darkness.

* * *

**Woah, the first chapter! I hope I kept the characters in check. I edited it and made it a bit more believable. I'll also try to the Guardians in check. Hopefully they won't seem out of character or anything. I'll try to update as soon as possible. Hope you liked it, and maybe even leave a review.**


	2. Heart-breaking Truth

**I'm back! I honestly didn't expect to get any reviews on the first chapter so I was a bit surprised. I thought it was going to take a couple of weeks or something before I got a review or something so I was in a bit of shock when I noticed I had reviews and even some favorites. Hopefully I can keep up with your expectations.**

**EDITED VERSION. This chapter had lots of errors and the dialogue was hard to understand because of the lack of spacing so I went back and fixed it. Everything stayed the same I just fixed some details.**

**Takes place when the movie starts.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians.**

* * *

_Present time_

His arms ached as he carried the cages but he didn't dare slow down. He already knew what would happen if he did. A shiver ran down his back at the thought of the consequences. No he couldn't not if he valued his life. His footsteps made no noise as he hurried down the wet clammy steps.

Faintly he wondered where his master was. He had been pleased the last couple of days. Gleeful about something but what? He had no idea. The day before Pitch had been ranting about how he would finally destroy the Guardians. He had been cowering behind him trying to make himself as small as possible when Pitch had mentioned the Guardians.

Pitch had twirled around explaining to him that it was finally time for him to rule. For the Guardians to feel like what it was not to be believed in. He had been so happy that he had thrown the cages at him telling him to go hang them. There hadn't been any insults or hits thrown at him. He knew from experience that it was a bad thing for Pitch to be happy. Nothing good ever came out of it.

It usually meant that something bad was going to happen. What exactly was going to happen? He had no idea. Pitch never informed him of his plans, and he never asked unless he was strictly told to. Yet he couldn't help the curiosity at what the cages were for. They were meant to hold something, that much was clear to him.

As he stretched over to where to the cages were going to hang he pushed the curiosity out of his mind. Carefully he dangled from the edge before stretching his arm out as far as it would go before hooking the cage. He worked carefully but efficiently placing all the cages that were next to him. Once he finished he jumped down to retrieve the rest of the cages.

He had to finish with the cages today or Pitch would have his skin. He never really needed a valid excuse to beat him but he took more _pleasure _when he did. Unconsciously he gently touched the place where Pitch had punched him a few days ago when he had tripped and fallen in front of him. Needless to say he had been kicked around and was now sporting a black eye that was swollen to the point where he could barely see from it.

Jack was just glad that he was gone as he had accidently dropped a cage from the top of the staircase. As the cage went down the steps he had almost hyperventilated. When he had realized that Pitch wasn't there to attack him he had shakily made his way down the stairs to where the cage had rolled to a stop.

There hadn't been any damage done but he had made sure to carry only two cages at a time to insure he didn't drop them. As he walked back his eyes found themselves drawn to a light. He cocked his head to the side as the light caught his attention. Glancing around to make sure there weren't any Nightmares around he hesitantly walked towards the tunnel. As he got closer he realized that this specific tunnel lead outside.

He knew he should just ignore the light and continue with the chores that he had been assigned to but he couldn't help but feel compelled. Jack swallowed the lump in his throat before stepping forward. He kept walking until the tunnel started angling up. Stopping he watched the light. All he could see was the white light that shined down partially covered by the bedpost. Beyond that he couldn't see anything else.

He tilted his head to the side wondering what it looked up there. What would it feel like to fly again? To feel the wind through his hair? To see colors for a change, the bright colors that lacked down here? Or maybe something else that wasn't the same old black, and grey.

He felt his hand tingle before frost shot out covering the wall that his hand had been on. His eyes widened in horror. Panicked he scrubbed at the wall trying to get the frost off but with no avail. More panic formed as more frost shot out covering the wall in elegant swirls.

The last time he had made frost was when Pitch had almost broken his ankle. The ice had shot out around him, almost protectively, taking Pitch by surprise. He had been beyond furious, chaining him to the wall and whipping him viciously. After that he had learned how to control his powers.

He had no idea why the frost was forming, or worse why he couldn't seem to control it. His breaths came more quickly as he backed into the corner. He was so busy panicking he never noticed Pitch step out of a shadow.

"Frosty?" Jack felt his heart skip a beat. He looked over seeing Pitch standing with his arms crossed. The look Pitch was sending him was enough to make tremble. After a couple of seconds Pitch strolled forward.

The action itself made him flinch but Pitch ignored him instead focusing on the frost that now decorated the wall. Pitch raised a hand grazing the frost with his finger before making a disapproving noise.

"Now Jack what have I told you about making frost?" Pitch's voice turned cold.

He lowered his head. Pitch rarely used his name and when he did it was usually when he was about to get punished, and he knew what kind of punishment he was going to get.

When he didn't answer Pitch walked over to where he was. He grabbed a fistful of his hair yanking his head up so they were staring at each other.

"I asked you a question and I expect an answer! What have I told you about using your powers?" Pitch growled.

He opened his mouth but all the words seemed to get stuck in his throat. His tongue felt like it was made out of lead. When Pitch's expression seemed to get darker he managed to choke out a sentence.

"N-not al-allowed." Pitch pulled his hair even tighter making him cringe.

"Exactly. Now would you care to explain what you were doing over here _so_ close to the exit? Don't tell me you were planning on escaping. Now that truly hurts my feelings." The mockness in his voice was clear. "Jack I thought you were more intelligent than that but I guess not. Then again what can I expect from a useless thing like you?"

Pitch shook his head. "You didn't even have the decency to finish the job I assigned you."

There was a tense silence as Pitch simply stared at him. He seemed to be looking for something. Finally after a couple of minutes Pitch let go of his hair only to grab his arm in an iron grip.

"I guess I'm going to have to teach you a lesson so you learn to finish your job, and not wonder around." Pitch paid no attention to him as he dragged him. Without any warning he threw him to the ground next to the globe.

He crawled to all fours as his breath hitched. The shining lights in front of him seemed to glaring at him, _mocking _him, warning him of the abuse he was going to receive. Pitch's feet came into his line of sight.

"Look at you. You're a pathetic sight to hold. No wonder nobody ever believed in you. How could they when you're nothing." Pitch sneered at him. There was no mercy with his words as Pitch continued with his verbal assault. Each word, each _insult _was as sharp as a blade. A blade that was dipped in poison as it cut deep.

His shoulders jerked as he tried to stop a sob from escaping his lips. Tears threatened to spill from his eyes as he looked at the ground. He knew that Pitch was looking at him. It was only matter of time before Pitch would start hitting him. This was Pitch's routine. Tormenting him verbally until he grew tired before he actually started hurting him. Hurting him until he deemed that he learned his lesson or he got bored.

Without warning Pitch's foot connected with his shoulder making him fly backwards. A grunt escaped his lips as pain blossomed from his shoulder. He barely had time to blink before another kick hit him in the ribs. All the air rushed out of him leaving him gasping. He curled in on himself trying to protect his vulnerable stomach.

"Again with trying to protect yourself Jack? You know how much I hate it." When he didn't answer Pitch bent down by his side. "Are you ignoring me now?"

The voice taunted him but he refused to look up. He didn't want to see Pitch's grin, or the way that his eyes were so cruel. He knew that he was only making it worse but he was too terrified of looking into those eyes.

He heard Pitch growl obviously annoyed that he was ignoring him. A second later he let out a cry as Pitch pulled his head up before smashing it against the ground. Without any hesitation Pitch raised his head before slamming it against the ground again. This time a loud crack echoed through the air as he felt his nose break. His vision blurred for a second as pain overclouded his senses.

Still dazed from the pain he barely realized that Pitch had hauled him up. He had only a second to stick his arms out as he was thrown down the steps. His head bounced off the steps as he rolled down them. Finally he rolled down the last step before stopping a few feet away. Letting out a cough he brought his shaking hand to his face. He could feel something wet dripping from his nose to his lips leaving the familiar metallic taste. Jack wiped the liquid away and he didn't have to look at his hand to know that it was covered in red.

Immediately more blood ran down his nose. He could faintly hear Pitch laughing. A rush of memories came back at the laughter. His breath hitched as Pitch disappeared. He looked around frantically trying to find Pitch. Seconds passed by and it took all his will power not to hyperventilate. He knew Pitch was messing with him.

He was still looking around when something wrapped itself around his ankle. He let out a cry as a shadow wrapped itself around his ankle before pulling him. Jack slid across the floor his hoodie the only thing stopping him from scraping all his skin off. That didn't stop him from feeling all the bumps, and steps there were.

As Pitch kept dragging him he realized where he was heading. He was going to the room where Pitch usually left him after beating him. A room that he had spent countless nights in fear, and pain.

Finally he came to a stop in front of the room. His back ached, and throbbed but he knew that was nothing compared to what was going to happen. Finally deciding to show himself Pitch appeared making him flinch. His mere presence was enough to make him panic. The corner of Pitch's mouth curled into a smile which only meant more pain for him.

"Oh, Jack. I love that fear you radiate. So powerful." Pitch mused as he nudged him with the heel of his foot.

He winced as his nose flared in pain. As the air next to him shifted he clamped his eyes shut. Slender fingers wrapped themselves around his chin. He didn't want to see those eyes that always haunted him in his nightmares. They were always _so _cold, so void emotion. The same emotion that made _him _human. Instead those eyes were full of anger that seemed to roll in waves at him with a hatred that ran deep in his veins.

It was always the last thing he saw, piercing emotionless eyes before everything went black.

Look at me Jack." He grunted when Pitch's sharp nails pierced his skin drawing little beads of blood, but he still refused to open his eyes. The nails dug even deeper when he didn't open his blue irises. He knew he was only making Pitch madder but he didn't want to see those eyes.

A second later the pressure around his chin vanished only to be replaced by Pitch grabbing his nose in an iron grip. He let out a scream, his eyes flying open as he tried to get rid of the offending fingers that were digging cruelly into his broken nose.

"That's right scream all you want because I haven't even started with you." Pitch's amused voice reached his ears as he let go.

Another sharp kick hit him straight in the stomach. He let out a choked breath but didn't have any time to recover before more kicks rained down on him. He drew his arms to his face trying to protect it. Curling in on himself did little protect from Pitch's kicks.

"How about a couple of broken bones? Do you think that'll help you learn your lesson?" Pitch laughed.

Grunts, and heaves were the only sounds he made as he was kicked around without mercy. His whole chest was sending waves of pain along with his back. Jack didn't know how long he continued until a sickening crack was heard as one of Pitch's stronger kicks finally broke a rib. He let out a scream as pain raced up his side. A grin formed on Pitch's face at the sound.

Ignoring his scream Pitch kept kicking him until another crack echoed through the air. Another scream tore through his throat. As his scream died off he let out a small whimper. His eyes burned as tears started to form.

"That one was louder than the first." Pitch observed.

His vision danced with dots but he managed to see Pitch tilt his head. A second later Pitch called for his sand. The sand swirled in his palm before it slowly started forming in the shape of a scythe. For a moment he stilled completely forgetting about the pain as he stared at the object in his hand.

Was he really going to use that? A new found terror crawled into his mind as he tried to move away from Pitch. He only managed to stretch his arms out a bit before pain blossomed in his chest. He let out a cry and wrapped his arm around his side. His heart was pounding so hard he was sure at any moment it would jump out of his chest. Pitch watched him for a moment before growing bored.

The edge of the scythe seemed to shine. It's edge danced dangerously in the light. The sharpness seemingly grinning at him. He screamed when he raised the weapon before bringing it down. His mind panicking as he imagined his leg being cut off. Blood squirting out drenching him in his own blood as he bled out.

Instead of hearing a slicing sound a loud thud was heard. The blunt edge of the scythe hit him straight in the thigh. He let out a blood curling scream as he felt something snap. The edges of his vision started to darken.

He never noticed Pitch raise the scythe again until something hit him straight in the head. He let out a grunt feeling brief pain in his head before he was enveloped in darkness.

* * *

Bunny stopped dead in his tracks. "Jack Frost's a lot of things but he's not a Guardian!"

The rest of his opinion was cut off as a loud ringing rang through the room. He turned around looking at Sandy who had an elf in his hand again. He heard North chuckle as he dropped the poor dazed elf on the floor before symbols appeared over his head. Bunny's eyes narrowed as he deciphered the meaning.

"What do you mean you haven't heard anything from Jack in a while?" Tooth's voice now held a nervous edge to it as she stared at him and North. North's eyebrows were scrunched together in confusion.

"Don't worry sheila, it's probably a good thing." He immediately got scolded by Tooth.

"Bunny, don't say stuff like that!" Sandy nodded agreeing with Tooth. More images appeared over his head. It took him a moment to understand what Sandy was saying.

"You haven't seen him at all? Not even once? You know flying or messing around?" He asked a bit wary. When Sandy shook his head he frowned. Now that he thought about it Jack never had messed with Easter after the blizzard incident.

"When was the last time you saw him?" Tooth asked as he hovered nervously.

Sandy frowned thinking about the question before finally answering. The number '68 appeared over his head. He nearly choked as he saw the number. He looked away from them swallowing as he tried to reassure himself that it was just a coincidence. Yet he couldn't get the anguished yell he had heard out of his mind.

"Bunny!" He felt somebody shake his shoulder bringing him out of his daze. With a start he realized all the Guardians were staring at him. A bit sheepishly he asked, "Sorry, what?"

Tooth laid her hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay Bunny? You suddenly spaced out. We called your name but you weren't responding."

Bunny brushed her off. "I'm fine. I was just thinking about the year Sandy said he last saw him. That was the same year he made the blizzard, and the last time I saw him."

By now all of them were donning the same worried expression. North stroked his beard before walking back to where the gem still glowed showing Jack.

"We shall ask Manny?" He suggested. Bunny glanced at the other two Guardians. They all nodded. "All right. Manny could you tell us what happened to Jack Frost?"

Bunny had to ignore the urge to tap his foot impatiently as he waited to see if they were even going to receive an answer. Just when it seemed the moon was going to ignore them a light shined on the floor in front of them. Everything around them got blocked out as they focused on the light.

Shadows merged before showing the image of Bunny standing a few feet away from Jack. The Guardians glanced at him.

"It was when he made the blizzard. I confronted him that day in the forest." The image swirled again this time showing the image of Pitch. Tooth gasped besides him. He could feel the dread creeping in as the image disorientated again. This time the image showed Pitch holding the unmistakable image of Jack.

"Oh my god! Does that mean Pitch has Jack?" Tooth was the first one to react. "We have to go find Jack!"

She hovered around frantically until North grabbed her by the shoulders. "Tooth do not worry. We will go find Jack. First thing we should do is go to the place where he was abducted."

North turned to him. "Bunny you can take us to the place?"

Bunny nodded trying to shake off the guilt he was feeling. Pitch had Jack, which meant that he hadn't saved him that day. He hadn't thought anything of the scream he had heard. He should have known that type of panic, the way his _voice _had sounded so scared, couldn't be faked but he hadn't seen anything. There hadn't been any sign that a struggle had broken out or anything to suggest an abduction had happened.

He had assumed that Jack had made a joke on him but what if he hadn't. What if he had been wrong? Had he truly let Pitch get away with something like that?

"To the sleight!" North announced interrupting his thoughts.

Bunny raised an eyebrow. There was no way he was going on _that. _No, if he was going to lead the way he was going his way. Something _safe _that assured him he wasn't going to fall out mid-trip.

"If I'm leading you're going my way." He smirked as he saw North's eyes widen as he tapped his foot. The ground below him vanished as one of his holes opened up. His ears picked up North yelling out something but it was cut off as he fell down the tunnel. With practiced ease he slid through the tunnel before jumping out a couple seconds later.

He grinned as he helped North up. North gave him a half hearted glare before falling to the floor muttering something about land. Bunny ignored him instead watching Tooth, and Sandy float up after North.

"Is this the place?" Tooth questioned as she looked around.

Bunny nodded shivering slightly. "Let's split up and look around. Holler if you find anything."

They all nodded even though they all knew that it was unlikely that they would really find anything. Tooth looked down at Sandy who had raised his hand.

Bunny chuckled. "Tooth you mind going with Sandy, you know in case he finds anything?"

Tooth nodded smiling as Sandy raised his thumbs up agreeing with him. With that they took off. He glanced around noticing that the place looked almost exactly the same as it had all those years ago. The snow was melting but the scene looked beautiful. He could still remember exactly what had happened that day. How he had yelled at Jack without letting the poor kid speak. More guilt formed as he remembered. Pushing those thoughts out of his mind he concentrated on looking around.

He had only searched a small area when he heard Tooth's yell. Bunny turned around running quickly. He reached them in a couple of seconds. North was already standing by Tooth, and Sandy. As he approached them he noticed that Sandy was crouched down by something. Tooth looked up at him sadly before lowering her gaze. As he crouched down by Sandy North muttered something that made his heart stop.

"It's true. Pitch captured him."

His eyes caught Sandy's warm ones. Smiling reassuringly at him Sandy motioned to the floor. With some hesitation Bunny looked down at what he was pointing at. A flat rock sat in the middle of a patch of melting snow but that wasn't what caught his attention. On the surface of the rock was a picture made in frost that showed Pitch holding Jack. He touched the picture only to gasp when the frost shattered.

The frost floated up spinning in a circle before exploding. Little pieces of white settled softly on the ground. Bunny glanced back at the other Guardians. That type of magic only belonged to one person. He closed his eyes before opening them again. Determination shining in them. He might have let Pitch take Jack but he was going to make sure he rescued Jack.

North's face was grim. "We have another problem now. We have to find Jack as soon as possible."

The rest was unspoken but he knew everybody had caught it.

_Before it's too late._

* * *

**Another chapter done! This isn't Bunny's full reaction. He doesn't know how bad Pitch has been treating Jack. He just knows that he's in his hold but he doesn't know the full comprehension of what Jack's been living through. You'll have to wait until they see Jack for the full reaction. Thanks for reading. Until next time.**


	3. Creeping Doubt

**Sorry about the longer wait school started again so I'll be busier now. I'll keep trying to update as soon as possible. To those who asked if there was a reason why Pitch captured Jack well I'll just say, when does Pitch do something without a reason? Later the true motive shall be revealed. Thanks for all the reviews!**

**Oh, and I'm not a medic or anything. I looked up a lot of the information for broken bones. I had him have a clean break, so that way there wouldn't be any need for him to have surgery or have screws placed. I had my family ask me multiple times why I was looking up all that information. I tried my best so I hope I did okay.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own ROTG **

* * *

He slowly became aware of the pounding pain in his chest and leg. He tried to fall back into the blissful sleep he was in but the pain just wouldn't let him. His eyelids didn't budge when he tried to open them. They felt heavy and after a moment of trying he gave up. Opening his eyes were the least of his problems. Every part of his body seemed to hurt. His mind was spinning and he couldn't remember what had happened.

He tried to concentrate on his thoughts. They were all jumbled up. What had happened? He, he had been with Pitch. Suddenly like a damn breaking all the memories came flying back. His eyes snapped open with no trouble. They frantically tried to figure out where he was. He couldn't see anything everything was black. For a moment he panicked as he blinked several times only to keep seeing black. Then he realized that he was in the 'room'.

He let out a sigh immediately regretting it as it sent shots of pain up his side. His eyes scrunched up in pain. He waited until the wave of pain passed, to wiggle his fingers on his hands and feet. He mentally sighed in relief as none of his digits were missing.

Feeling braver he slowly raised his arm up to his face. His cold fingers smoothly traced his broken nose. He hissed in pain as even the slightest touch hurt. He could feel the dried blood on his face crackle as his mouth stretched out in pain.

He continued up to his head where Pitch had whacked him with the scythe. There was a giant bump on his head that was probably the cause of the killer headache he was starting to feel. Thinking it was safe enough to move his other arm he brought it to his head stretching his arm so it wouldn't fall asleep. Knowing that eventually he would have to see the extent of his injuries he let out a slow breathe.

His fingers grazed his side trying to figure out which ribs were broken. He poked carefully, letting out a small yelp, when one of the middle ribs he put pressure on sent a wave of pain. Well at least he figured out which one of his ribs were broken, or fractured. He moved a little further down until he felt a lump on his chest where he assumed was where the second rib had broken. He pushed down slightly only to feel the same pain he had previously felt.

Arming himself with all the bravery that he didn't feel, he put his arms on either side before bending them slightly ready to prop himself up. His arms wavered for a second before they slowly steadied. With a grunt he pulled himself up. His right side protested as his ribs were jostled but he managed to sit up. He tried to control his breathing so he wouldn't agitate his ribs more. After a couple of seconds he decided he had to figure out how bad his leg was.

His leg was completely stretched out apparently Pitch had laid him down with his leg straightened out. He had been scared that Pitch had just thrown him not caring about injuring him even more. Since he couldn't see he would have to feel how bad it was. He just hoped that there wouldn't be a bone sticking out or something. He closed his eyes thankful when he didn't feel anything sticking out.

He could feel his leg tingling which he wasn't sure if it was a good sign or not. He was in intense pain, the pain even stronger than the one he felt in his chest. He barely was grazing his thigh but he could feel that it was already swelling up. He trembled slightly and until he felt something wet hit his hand did he realize that he was crying. He could feel the hot tears rolling gently down his cheeks.

He didn't know if he was crying because he was in pain, or because of everything that had happened to him. He wasn't just talking about now. No, he was talking about the countless years he had been stuck with Pitch. He had no how long he had been down here. The first few nights he had tried to keep track, but after the beatings and mental abuse he had received he had lost count, and he hadn't cared. Right now he knew he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

He was hopeless he knew he was never going to escape or let free. Even if he was what would be the point? He would be cowering under in fright waiting for the next blow to come. Not that it would matter. _Who would see him? They would all pass through him like he was a ghost._ He was condemned to be here for eternity. He was immortal and unless Pitch decided to end his mercy he was pretty sure he would be stuck here waiting for Pitch's next order.

He swallowed wincing at the pain it caused. He sometimes cursed at the moon. It was his fault that everything was happening. He had created him, told him his name and then let him wander for years alone. Then he realized that maybe that was because he was meant to always be in pain. Either it be psychical or mentally he was always in pain.

Maybe the moon had made a mistake when he created him. He probably had accidently made him, and then since he couldn't get rid of him had decided to let him wander around aimlessly. That was probably the reason, who would ever want to be with him? He suddenly realized that Pitch was right. He was just a waste of space. He felt something inside him shatter. He suddenly felt hollow like something inside of him was missing. He didn't feel the pain anymore he was numb.

He didn't care anymore. What was the difference if he was in pain? He looked up his eyes the only thing you could see in the dark. They were empty the last bit of spark in them had died. His center was completely broken.

* * *

After the mental breakdown he had fallen asleep shortly after, his body demanding rest. The slight mental breakdown drained him of the little energy he had had. He had barely woken up a couple of minutes ago. Currently he was trying not to wallow in his thoughts. His chest still hurt but not as badly as his leg. His head was pounding which added more to his discomfort. He felt like somebody was squeezing his head in between their hands. He tried to think of something anything to try and distract his attention from the pain.

How long had he been out? When would Pitch let him out of the room?

He shifted trying to find a comfortable place on the worn down mattress. He made sure to keep his leg in the same position it was. He had finally found a more suitable spot when he heard the door open. His eyes shot open as the door swung forward. The sudden light even though it wasn't bright hurt his eyes. He clamped them shut before he opened them slowly. He could see Pitch's silhouette as he stopped in the middle of the doorway.

"Frosty?" He asked as he took a step forward. Jack instantly shrunk back. Pitch grinned before he smiled at him in what he could say was supposed to be greeting him. "Yes?" He replied his voice barely above a whisper. "Did you learn your lesson?" He questioned. He instantly tensed inwardly cursing at himself as he agitated his injuries. "Yes." He didn't know if Pitch was expecting him to say anything else.

"Good, though I think I may have gone a little over board with your leg." He stared at him dazed. Since when did he ever say that kind of stuff to him? It almost seemed to like an apology. Almost. "You'll have to somehow walk. If you do you'll have to use this." The black sand appeared in his hand, making him flinch. It formed crutches? He relaxed slightly but still stared at Pitch disbelievingly.

Pitch made his way over to him. He tried to keep his breathe steady but he could feel his heart start speeding up. He knew he couldn't breathe any deeper or faster if he didn't want to hurt his ribs, but his body was acting against him. His blue eyes widened slightly as Pitch stretched the crutches out to him. He reached for them hesitantly. His fingers touched the smooth sand, before each of his hands held a separate crutch.

The first thing he needed to do was to raise himself up. He set down the crutches for a moment before he weakly raised himself up. His grit his teeth as his side sent shots of pain, but he was up now. The crutches were in his hand again as he tried to gather his courage to try to stand up. "First you'll need something to hold your leg in place. I can't have you causing more damage to the bone." He observed.

Confusion shined in his eyes. "Don't freak out." Was the only warning he got before the sand started wrapping around his leg. For a moment he was tempted to start struggling but gave up on the idea when he realized that he wasn't even strong enough to try and put up a fight. He watched it wrap around his thigh creating what he assumed was a type of cast.

Realizing that it was finished, he placed the crutches in the correct position before bracing himself as he tried to left his body up. His chest protested as he stretched his chest and put weight on it. He slowly started to raise himself up.

He let out a small squeak as his leg was pulled. His grip on the crutches faltered for a moment but that was all he needed as he let go. He was falling backwards. He tried not to think about the moment his chest would hit the ground, he was sure that would be enough pressure to break his ribs if they weren't already. He felt something grip his shoulders holding his steady before he could hit the ground. It took him by surprise as his mouth opened slightly in shock.

It was then he realized that Pitch was the one holding him. He trembled slightly the fear already starting to bloom. "I don't need you smashing your head against the floor yet. I have something I need to tell you." He stated, not waiting for him to make some type of response he raised him up. The crutches were shoved at him again. He positioned them the crutches creating an awkward sensation.

He could feel Pitch's gaze on him. Straightening his head he looked at him. "Try walking." The statement sounded like a question but he knew when Pitch made a command. He carefully moved his good foot in front of him before placing his weight on the leg the momentum swinging the crutches forward. He clumsily made his way to the doorway, stopping in front of Pitch. His leg still hurt but not as much as the cast prevented the bone from being moved.

"Your free, just remember you lesson, I had to have my nightmares do the task you were assigned to." He warned as he strolled forward a bit making it clear he wanted Jack to follow him. He could feel the sweat trickle down his neck leaving a coolness there, as he hurriedly made his way after Pitch. He was pushing himself but they were still walking at turtle speed.

He was relieved when Pitch lead him down a straight hallway instead of taking the stairs. He couldn't imagine himself trying to go down the stairs. He shivered at the image that popped into his head. He wasn't in the condition to even try going down. They eventually stopped in front of the globe. By the time they got there his arms were trembling, and he was breathing hard.

His arms were clutching the crutches in a death grip. He was scared that if he loosened his grip on them he was going to fall. His skin was paler than usual and his hair was still stuck to his head, the blood having already dried was staining his white hair an ugly brown color. He had no idea how he was standing up at the moment, he felt like he was ready to drop dead. He tried to control his trembling as it got worse at the sight of the globe, it brought back the memories of what had happened last time.

The globe was still full of the little yellow dots that were still glowing brightly, a stark contrast to the dull colors of the lair. Pitch advanced towards it the distaste clear in his face. Jack stood there not sure what to do, or if he should say something. The last thing he wanted to do was say something that would snap the patience he had.

After a moment Pitch seemed to remember that he was still standing there. "You see these lights?" He nodded going along with whatever he was going to say. "Every single light is a child who believes in those pathetic guardians." He listened wide eyed as he insulted the Guardians. "Soon enough every single light will disappear. I _will _crush those Guardians." As he expressed his thoughts he reflected on his own. They were all jumbled up, not making sense they only served to make him more indecisive.

On one side he didn't care, it wasn't going to affect him in any way. He was stuck down in the gloomy lair never knowing what was happening outside. On the other hand he sometimes hoped that one of the Guardians would dare and risk coming down to rescue him. _To save him._

Those thoughts had died the first couple of years, crushed by the endless nightmares that had plagued him. He sometimes faintly remembered being around children. They never saw him of course, but he remembered having this weird feeling around him. It had felt warm and something else he couldn't name. Even as he listened to Pitch saying he would destroy them he didn't know what to feel. He knew deep down a part of him said he should feel horrified at the thought of them being destroyed.

But, that was deep down. He had been with one of the Guardians when he had been taken, and he hadn't intervened. He had left him. _Left him. He hadn't even turned back once. _He had only laughed, the sound ringing in his head, resonating inside his head to the point where it was painful. Then he had mocked him telling him that even if he was a child he didn't care if he died or not. Now he understood why he had said that. He wasn't worth saving so he couldn't bring himself to hold anything against him.

He realized that Pitch's back was facing him, and that he seemed to be talking. The words were coming in through one ear and coming out the other. He knew he should have been paying attention to what he had said, but he was pretty sure that he had only been talking about his plan. "I'll be having visitors later." What? He tuned in not wanting to miss what he was going to say next.

"Those little annoying pests that fairy calls her helpers." He perked up. There was going to be other people here?

"You Frosty are going to stay here I don't think you'll be useful for anything." He lowered his head despite himself, his bangs falling in front of his face shielding his eyes. He felt the same ache in his chest whenever he insulted him. He blinked suddenly surprised as Pitch's feet were in front of his vision. He looked up hesitantly, but didn't dare to make eye contact afraid he would disappoint or anger him.

He flinched when he felt Pitch's cool hand, yet warm to him, on his head. Expecting a blow he made eye contact with him after a moment passed without any pain. Pitch was staring at him, a ghost of a smile on his face. He cringed as his hand brushed against his bruise. "I'm giving you permission to let you use your power to heal yourself." A gasp escaped his dry lips, as he stared at him disbelievingly.

He was going to let him use his powers? He opened his mouth to ask him why, before quickly closing it as he remembered that he couldn't speak unless he had permission. He didn't want to get punished especially if he was just messing with him. "Go on." The man coaxed. After a moment of silence. "Why?" His throat burning as he spoke.

Pitch shrugged dismissively his posture screaming out that he didn't care. "I don't want to hear you moaning in pain, and staggering around the lair. You might also have some assignments later on that will require you to do something, and I doubt you'll be able to do them in pain." _Oh. _He mentally shook his head. What had he expected? For him to say that he was changing or _what? _He didn't even know what he had been expecting.

Suddenly he raised a finger pointing it at him. _"But, if you're going to use your powers you'll have to use them in my presence." _He nodded, not knowing if that meant that he could use them now. "That means if you're going to, you'll have to do it now." The statement answering his question, he made sure the crutches weren't going to fall out of his grasp, he pulled his sweater up slightly groaning as the material brushed against the ugly bruises that littered his chest.

He held the cloth with his teeth exposing his injured side to the cool air in the lair. He could feel Pitch's eyes watching him intently, analyzing his every move. He took a deep breathe immediately regretting it as it made his side flare in pain. Waiting until the pain subsided he placed his hand on his chest trying to pull on his powers. He had gone so long without actually using his powers, minus the frost incident, that he didn't know if he could even use his powers anymore.

Trying to ignore the panic he was starting to feel he closed his eyes concentrating even harder on the task. It was then he felt it. The familiar sensation that traveled through his whole body as he expelled some of his power. He felt his fingertips tingle as the coldness spread out coating his injured side covering it in a light frost. A strange feeling spread across him as he felt the corner of his mouth twitch up for a second.

He tugged even more the power came out a bit stronger, but it was nothing compared to what at one point he had been able to conjure. Still it was sufficient to cover his whole chest. His chest shined as the ice covered it, the blue from his power seemed to radiate shining an electric blue, a stark contrast to his pale chest. Feeling more motivated he placed his hand above his cast letting the frost spread out under the cast numbing his leg.

He let out a sigh as the energy he had felt slipped through his fingers. He heard Pitch mumble something under his chest, before he muttered. "Interesting." Noticing that he was staring at him Pitch snapped out of thoughts. "I have something to do when I come back as I told were going to have some visitors." He looked like he was about dismiss before a thought seemed to cross his mind.

"I would assume you still know your manners, correct?" He nodded a bit dejected. That was a warning that meant that he wouldn't be able to talk to any of the fairies. The whole time he had been down here the only person he could talk with was Pitch, and only when he let him. He was practically starved of communication. "Good, in that case you can go back to your room." Knowing he was being dismissed, he made his way back to the 'room'.

As he got closer the door was open seemingly inviting him in. He groaned when he realized that he would have to lie down again. With as much delicacy as possible he sat down his ribs still sending small shots of pain but it was bearable. He gently placed the crutches next to him before he lay down. He was thankful the door was still open as it provided light, even if it was barely enough to let him see his hand that was in front of his face.

It was still better than being in complete darkness. He didn't like being in the dark, it always seemed to suffocate him, never let him see which way was out, it always had him in its claws. He shuddered slightly before shifting into a comfortable position. He curled as much as his ribs permitted him. His eyes staring at the light that was emitting from the doorway. He sought comfort from it, imaging it would lead him outside to a snowy landscape.

Where he was free, where he could fly as high as he wanted. A place where he was able to sink into the snow and lay there feeling the wind blow gently across his face, brushing his bangs out of his forehead. He see the trees covered in a white coating stretching out as far as he could see. He imagined the mountains in the background towering high above disappearing behind the clouds. He never noticed his eyes had closed, and that his face was a bit more peaceful.

The winter landscape disappearing from his mind, leaving him to see black. He would only have a couple of hours of peaceful rest before nightmares would start plaguing him. His chest falling evenly the only indication that he was sleeping.

* * *

He jumped as a voice cut through the silence, startling them all. "I have to say, this is very, very exciting." Bunny looked up immediately recognizing the voice. Standing above them was Pitch a gleeful smile on his face. "The Big Four all in one place, I'm a little star-struck." He said sarcasm dripping off every word he said. "Did you like my little show on the globe, North? Got you all together didn't I?" At that moment it dawned on North who threw his arms down in frustration. His eyes narrowed slightly at Pitch.

Tooth who was no longer able to sit still sprung up flying over to Pitch. "Pitch, you thirty seconds to give me back my fairies!" The threat seemed to bounce off him as he merely replied. "Or what?" He disappeared into a shadow before coming out of another one. "You'll stick a quarter under my pillow?" He retorted. At that moment North interrupted. "Why are you doing this?"

"Maybe I want what you want. To be believed in." Pitch moved along the wall, disappearing into a shadow, before he emerged behind the column. "Maybe I'm tired of hiding under beds." Finally not being able to hold back the rebuke he snapped out. "Maybe that's where you belong!"

"Ah, go suck an egg, rabbit!" He swiped at him only for him to disappear. "That's it! Where's Jack Frost? What have you done with him?" He snapped at him. Pitch appeared above them a frown the only indication that he was confused. "Jack what does he have to do with anything?" He realized then that perhaps that wasn't the best way to blurt it out.

He turned slightly to look at the other Guardian's. North gave him a look that clearly read that he wasn't supposed to have said that. Tooth's wings fluttered nervously behind her aware of the tension that now surrounded them. Sandy simply shrugged, his eyes silently telling him that what was done was done.

He returned his gaze at Pitch, putting on what he hoped was a stern expression. He didn't want his face to give away the worry he feeling. Thinking about what he should say next, Pitch would catch anything he said, he spoke clearly his voice surprisingly strong, and firm. "What happened to him?" Pitch stared at him intently obviously trying to figure out what he why he wanted to know about Jack.

"Why would I know what happened to him?" He retorted back. Bunny crossed his arms over his chest. "We already know you have him Pitch." Again the only indication was the way his mouth tightened slightly. "So then why ask." He snorted. Bunny glanced back at North, a silent message passing between them. He wasn't sure exactly sure what to say. "Pitch what is your interest in him? I have a feeling you didn't suddenly want to adopt him." North asked.

Bunny almost shivered at the thought of Pitch being a father. Pitch raised an eyebrow. "How would you know? You don't really know me, but that's not the point. Why do you suddenly care? After so many decades why _would_ you **care**?" Bunny had to stop himself from flinching. The words struck a nerve. He knew it was their fault, but that didn't stop from them from feeling any less guilty.

He felt a shiver run down his back as Pitch's lips raised into a cocky smirk. "I don't even think there's a point in trying to save him. There's no way he could go back to the way he was. How does it feel Guardian's to know you failed in the job, you take so seriously, to protect _children."_ He could feel the other Guardians were taking the words to heart. He was too. That one sentence seemed to echo in his mind.

"_There's no way he could go back to the way he was." _What did he mean by that? He swallowed feeling the dread in his stomach. He pushed back the thoughts about the possibility that they were too late.

They just couldn't be.

**Oh, uh. What's with Pitch letting Jack use his powers? Is he on to something? Why does Jack think Bunny left him to Pitch? Which side is telling the truth? Hmm. Oh well, you'll eventually find out, maybe….. Until next time. Oh wait! I forgot can Jack actually sweat? I was writing and that question popped into my head, and I was like if he's Jack Frost can he sweat?**


	4. Beginnings of a friendship

**I'm back! I'm so sorry for the late update. Algebra is killing me. Anyways I love all the comments. Thanks to those who answered my previous doubt, and yes this is fan fiction so I can make him sweat if I wanted him to so I'll just go along with it and make him sweat. I really appreciate all the feedback and I honestly didn't expect people to love this story. Enough said I present the next chapter!**

**Wait, Disclaimer: I don't own ROTG**

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He suddenly woke up, his eyes opening automatically, against his will, bringing him out of the deep slumber he had been in. He blinked a couple of times to clear away the crust that had started to form. Once his thoughts started to clear up he stifled a yawn as he looked around. What had woken him up? He hadn't been having any nightmares, so why had he woken up? A frown formed on his face as he tried to figure out why he had woken up so suddenly.

He groaned softly, feeling as though he was a giant bruise. His powers helped numb the pain, not completely but enough to reduce it to a constant ache. He knew he was still injured but he felt more secure. Like he could move around a bit more freely. Feeling safer he propped himself up, slowly still wary of his injuries. His chest felt sore, probably the cause of all the bruises, and bruised, or broken ribs he had.

His hands stretched out reaching for the crutches. Holding one in every hand he prepared himself to get up. His leg hurt still more than his chest, but it was bearable. The door was still in the same position that it had been when he had fallen asleep. As he got closer he noticed that the lair wasn't quite. After the many years he had stayed here, he had never realized how quite it was. Right now instead of the usual silence there was a racket going somewhere in the lair. Hesitantly he walked towards the doorway.

Once he reached it he stopped, not sure if he should keep going. After a moment of internal debate he decided to figure out what the noise was. As he slowly made his way towards the noise, questions were flying through his head. What was the noise? He swallowed. It wasn't that he was scared. He didn't think there was anything that was scarier than Pitch. What was the worst that could happen to him? Get killed. That would be like showing mercy to him.

As he turned a hallway he realized that he it had slipped past his mind that Pitch had told him that there would be visitors later that day. His heart sped up slightly at the prospect of seeing other people. As he walked faster the noise got louder and clearer. It sounded like birds chirping. A frown sketched itself across his face as he realized that the chirps sounded agitated, scared, and brave at the same time. He stopped where the hallway turned, he wasn't sure if he could turn the corner.

He swallowed, noticing that his throat was dry, and his lips crackled as he stretched his mouth testing to see how much he could stretch it before it would start bleeding. His tongue slipped through his teeth wetting his lips, his eyes closing slightly in a grimace as it burned at the contact. He could still taste the dried blood on it from where his nose had been bleeding. He imagined what he looked like with blood stains covering a good portion of his face. Shaking his head lightly he shook the thoughts out of his head.

Deciding that he had extended the wait too long he turned the corner, his mind not processing what he was doing. He had barely turned before he froze, taking in the sight before him. His eyes widened, and he wasn't sure if his jaw was hanging open or not. The place where he had hung the cages, were now full of little, fairies? He wasn't exactly sure what they were. His eyes kept observing the scene around him.

It was mass chaos. Nightmares were flying in, carrying more of the fairies in their stomachs. They would come in then they'd proceed to dump them in the cages. He shivered as a nightmare passed close to him. He hated those things. Not wanting to make any contact with them he took a step backward. Without meaning to he realized that he had shrunk back into the shadows now almost completely invisible.

It was a habit he had acquired over the years. He know kept in the shadows, making sure he was never noticeable. It was never good when Pitch noticed him. If he didn't have something to say to him or make him do, then he would hurt him. He considered stepping out but decided against it, instead choosing to wait until all the nightmares were gone to go outside. He knew any of the nightmares could attack him or tell Pitch that he had been here. He knew he wouldn't be able to talk to any of them, Pitch had warned him.

So he stood there ignoring the way his muscles were starting to protest. After a couple of minutes if even possible more nightmares appeared carrying more fairies. He watched feeling a bit of sympathy for them, as they got shoved into a cage, only for them to look around fluttering around angrily trying to escape. Then they would settle down in despair as they realized that they couldn't escape. He could sympathize with them. He knew what it felt like having your freedom then having it be suddenly taken from you.

As he watched a certain fairy caught his attention. It didn't seem to matter to her that her chances were being narrowed down to nothing. She kept fighting even as she got thrown into a cage. She glared back at the nightmare not caring when it turned around and huffed in her face. She stared back at it not breaking eye contact with it. Eventually the horse turned around whining in annoyance before it disappeared.

For some reason he couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She even looked different from the other fairies, she had a golden feather on her head, but that wasn't the only thing different. There was an atmosphere around her that was different. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't place what it was. After a moment as if feeling his gaze she turned her head directly to where he was half covered. His eyes widened even more as they made eye contact.

_No, it couldn't be. She was staring at him. _Did that mean he was communicating with somebody else? This was his first contact with somebody after decades. Her eyes shined with mixed emotions. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't place what they all were. He watched the array of emotions flash through her eyes; shock, confusion, horror, and other ones he couldn't place. She cocked her head to the side her face looking appalled. Her eyes seemed to be asking him so many questions.

_Who are you? What are you doing here? _But the main one he saw the most, even though it wasn't a question, and the one that scared him was, _you're injured._ The concern that was inside those delicate eyes surprised him. He _never _remembered a time when someone had looked at him like that. It _almost _seemed like she cared about him. But that couldn't be, nobody _cared about him._

He shook his head before scrambling back quickly turning around going to back to the room. His arms now fully trembled tired of the abuse he placed on them. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't get them to stop trembling. He took another step before his arms wavered not being able to his weight anymore. He let out a cry as he came crashing down on the floor. His arms stretched out, as the crutches escaped his grasp, as he tried to break his fall. The crutches clattered as they hit the floor bouncing out of his reach, but that was the last of his worries as he hit the floor.

Even though he had used some of his magic to help the healing process, his ribs suddenly made themselves known as the pain sprouted from his chest. The pain overclouded his senses. He let out small wheezes as he tried to overcome the black dots that were dancing in his vision. His hands curled, his knuckles turning white, and his nails digging into his palm.

He blinked a couple of times to try and clear them but after failing, he instead choose to keep them closed. It helped him with the pain. It seemed to help him with the pain, like when you touched something that was hurting.

When the pain reduced to a constant throb he cracked his eye open. It was slightly blurry but after blinking a couple of times he could see clearly again. He almost wished he couldn't when he saw how far his crutches had fallen away from him. The crutches were on either side of them but out of arm's length. Choking back a sob of despair he turned his head so his forehead was touching the cool ground.

He stretched out his arm hoping that it would miraculously be in his reach. But it wasn't. He raised his head back up to see how far it was from him. After a couple of moments he propped his upper body up so he could drag himself to where it was laying. He raised himself up on his elbows, before he started dragging himself forward. His leg making it difficult to drag himself across the floor. Once he reached it he managed to grab it. With a grunt he got up wobbling the whole time, as he managed it without crashing to the floor.

He steadied himself before he started walking with one crutch in hand to where the other one was. Once he reached it he stretched his arm out. At that moment he knew he would have to bend down to pick it out. Letting out a sigh he carefully bent careful of his injured ribs. His fingers grazed the crutch before he clutched it picking it up.

As he attempted to go back to the room, he realized how weak he was. He had barely taken a step before his arms trembled again threatening to make him fall. His shoulders sagged in defeat as he decided to sit against the wall. He steadily slid down the wall his cast making it hard for him to slide down straight. After a couple of seconds his bottom touched the dirty floor. He carefully placed his crutches by his side before he let his head lean on the wall.

Finally now that he was sitting down he tried to loosen his shoulders so they weren't so tense. It took a bit of effort but he managed to loosen them slightly, not completely. He wasn't sure if he could even relax them completely. It made him feel like he was putting his guard down. To him that meant the difference between a beating and a pat on the shoulder. Even when it didn't save him from a beating it helped him prepare for the pain. It seemed to hurt less when he was aware it was coming. He hated it when he was caught unaware.

He also realized that he smelled disgusting, was covered in sweat, grime, and blood. He hadn't seen himself in who knew how long but he didn't need a mirror to know he looked horrible. He could even say _scary. _He almost looked like a ghost. That was probably why the little fairy had stared at him with those eyes. He probably did look like a ghost with his pale skin, dried blood on his head, and his sweater all dirty and covered in blood. That or he was really as ugly as Pitch said he was.

A pang of pain went through his chest as he thought of that.

_"You're ugly, a disgusting sight to see. No one would ever want to be friends with you." _Pitch's words rang through his head. Was he really that ugly? His throat stung in the familiar pain as he tried to keep his eyes from watering. He brought his arms on top of his knee before he buried his head in his arms. Was that fairy scared of him? Did she think he was a monster? His lip quivered at the thought of him being a monster. Did, did that mean he was the same as Pitch?

He had never, and would never hurt anyone at least not on purpose. Pitch said that he was the bringer of winter, that it was his fault for everybody, and everything that died in winter. _"Nobody likes winter. Who likes the spirit that only brings death and coldness? You kill everything you touch."_ This time he couldn't stop the tears that prickled at the corner of his eyes. As he tried to hold it back he closed his eyes. The slight pressure was enough to make the liquid seep through his eyes.

He shrunk even more burying his head even tighter against his arms, his foot touching his thigh. It made him seem even smaller if that was even possible. He was sure if anybody passed by they wouldn't see him, not if they weren't looking for him, he was practically a shadow. The little light was barley hitting him, and instead it made him look a shade of grey.

Time seemed to pass by as he stayed like that. It was as if he was literally frozen, he hadn't moved an inch, the only indication he was alive was the steady rise and fall of his shoulders. After a while he realized that the lair was once more silent. His ears perked up listening for any sign that there were still nightmares bringing in more of the fairies. When all he heard was his own breathing, and his heart beating he slowly raised his head up from his arms. His neck protested sore from being in the awkward position for such a long time.

His eyes were puffy, and red from the crying he had been doing. There were still fresh trails were the tears had wet his cheeks. When he moved his arm off his knee the familiar tingling sensation told him his arm had fallen asleep. The leg that was stretched, courtesy of his cast was the most comfortable. For a moment he wondered if getting up would be the best thing. What harm could it cause him if he stayed here a couple of minutes more?

That thought immediately vanished when he remembered the last time Pitch had caught him slacking off. He shuddered. With an almost forced action he started to pull himself up. He had almost dozed off, even in the uncomfortable position he was in his body had wanted to shut down, to let him rest. His blue eyes hidden by his bangs were slightly cloudy, his eyelids halfway closed as he fought to stay awake, and get up. All the crying he had done had worn him down even more.

It took him a couple of minutes but he managed to get up. Once he was up he suddenly didn't know where to go. One part of him, the more logical side, knew he had to get back to the room. The other part of him wanted him to go back to where the fairies were located.

He found that his thoughts kept drifting back to that fairy. There was just something about her that had caught his attention. Maybe it was the fact that she had been the first person to see him in decades that wasn't Pitch. The only thing that was currently reassuring him that he was in fact real, was that she _had_ seen him. Her eyes hadn't gone past him like when he had been around the children.

The edge of his mouth twitched up, until muscles that hadn't been used in such a long time were suddenly used again. The way his mouth was stretching up felt completely foreign, but he was _smiling. _Even if it felt completely foreign there was a familiar touch to it. Like if at one point he had smiled often. That's when he felt it again. The same cool sensation over his body, his pain was numbed to the point where he couldn't feel it. He looked and was surprised to see that nothing had happened.

He looked completely normal. No frost had formed or had burst out of his hand. He checked his hand just to reassure himself. What was that tingling sensation? It felt new, but at the same time he recognized it, like if at one point he had actually been familiar with it. Whatever it was it seemed to give him more strength. Making up his mind he limped over to where the cages were hanging. A voice at the back of his mind was asking him what he was doing. He himself didn't know what he was doing. The long hallway seemed to stretch out even more as he urged himself to go faster.

When he got to the corner he hesitated. He licked his lips grimacing when he tasted the dried blood that still lingered on his mouth. Swallowing he turned the corner before he could stop himself. He had barely turned the corner when one of the fairies squeaked out something. He stopped looking up, as all the fairies froze before looking down at him. For a moment they stared at each, the tension in the room rose. Maybe, it hadn't been the best idea to come here.

He blinked his thoughts wild, and jumbled as they entered his mind. What were they thinking? Did, did they think he was a _monster_? His chest ached at the thought. Finally after a moment one fairy squealed out something in a desperate voice. As he looked closer he realized that it was the same fairy that had seen him before. Another smile threatened to bloom on his face, and he let it. The fairies gasped, alarming him, before they leaned forward. One of them gave a squeal before she promptly fainted.

His upper lip twitched slightly and he opened his mouth a grin starting to form. The action caused most of the fairies to squeal before heart shapes appeared in some of their eyes. Alarmed his eyes widened dramatically at their actions. Why were they acting like that? Were they okay? Did something happen? His face scrunched up as he tried to figure out what was wrong.

It took him a moment but he understood after many ideas crossed his mind that they seemed to like his smile. It took him a bit of effort but he managed a grin that he assumed let his teeth show. The way his mouth was stretching made him uncomfortable but he did it anyways. The result was immediate. All the fairies let out gasps before they went wild. Some of them grabbing the fairies besides them before going up and down. He stared at them astonished.

Confusion shined in his blue eyes as he watched them. Finally after a couple of seconds the fairy with the gold feather seemed to get over his smile as she spoke up. Whatever she said caused the others to stop and turn back to him. He shifted uncomfortably suddenly aware of the sudden attention he was receiving. Immediately their expressions morphed into ones of horror.

Every single one of them seemed to be looking him over. Right, he thought, he was wearing a sweater covered in blood stains, and his pants were ripped also covered in blood. His leg had a cast on it, he was in crutches, his face was swollen with a black eye, and not to mention his nose was broken. A big nasty bump on his head, with his hair a nasty brown color instead of the snowy white it once was. He probably as he had said before looked half-dead. He probably was an ugly sight to see.

The confusion was replaced with worry. Worry that they would think he was disgusting and all the reactions that had had before would be replaced with hate, disgust, and pity. He was surprised when he noticed that he had closed his eyes. He couldn't meet their eyes. He wouldn't be able to stand it. He was _scared. _He was scared to meet there rejection. He didn't think he could stand it. Not after he had seen the way they had been staring at him a couple of seconds before hand.

A soft tweet snapped him out of his depressing thoughts as the sound forced him to open his eyes. The sound was said in a way that one would say to a scared child. It comforted him. It made him feel _safe?_ His eyes wandered around before they settled on the fairy. Her eyes had softened and were full of concern. She seemed to be asking him what was wrong. All the other fairies seemed to be asking him the same thing.

He opened his mouth, ready to tell them that he was all right. Then he would walk away because he _wasn't _even supposed to be there. Just as he had opened his mouth to say something when a cold shiver ran through him. He stood up straighter, his hands tightening around the crutches to the point where his knuckles turned white. A second later a hand placed itself on his shoulder. He immediately tensed knowing Pitch wasn't going to be pleased.

The hand curled around his shoulder tighter, the sharp fingernails digging into his skin. "Frosty, what are you doing here?" The soft voice echoed through the now silent lair. He swallowed forcing himself to speak. "I'I heard n-noise s-so I w-went to see w-what i-it was." He managed to choke out. All the fairies were now concentrating on them, silent, and nervously watching the conversation. "Is that so? Well then I guess that makes it okay right?" When he didn't answer Pitch shook him roughly.

"I guess that means that it's okay, _right?_" He repeated the question this time less impatiently. "I-I don't know." He answered truthfully his head lowering down slightly. "You were looking out for the lair. You were protecting your _home._" Pitch seethed. He tried not to shiver at the mention of the lair being his home. "All you need is a little leash so you don't get lost."

_No_. This time he couldn't suppress the shiver that ran down his spine. "I would hate it if somebody else saw you without a tag, and decided to take you. Not that anybody would really want you. You'll have to have a collar on you so they know you already belong to somebody." While Pitch spoke the sand started creeping from the hand that was on his shoulder slowly making his way to his neck. He simply closed his eyes deciding not to try and put up any resistance. The sand curled around his whole neck before it hardened, making the unmistakable shape of a collar.

"There we go, that way no one will want to take you from me." His voice mocked him.

"Maybe, that will teach you not to wander where you're not needed. _Not that you're needed_." He sneered the last sentence at him. He nodded weakly trying his best to ignore the jab. "Now go back to your room. Don't bother me and you're stripped of your dinner tonight. I'll keep you locked in there until I need you for something." His stomach did a flip as he heard he wasn't going to get any food. The only thing he currently got for food was a small cup of water and a bread loaf. To not even get that. His stomach already felt like eating itself.

He already knew he wouldn't be able to rest completely, not when he had such an intense pain in his stomach. But he ignored it and instead accepted the punishment without any arguing, and simply nodded. He didn't need to see him to know Pitch was grinning pleased that he managed to once again make him feel like scum. He only felt Pitch pat him on the head exactly where he had a giant bump. He tensed up his eyebrows furrowing together in pain.

"Good, now I'll trust you already meet the Tooth fairies helpers?" He nodded. "I already told you, but I'll tell you one last time. I don't want you talking to any of them. Do you understand?" He asked him. "Y-yes." He muttered quietly his head hanging low. At least he had managed to have a little bit of interaction with them. "Now go." Pitch said as he dismissed him. He quickly started walking away. As he walked away he raised his head slightly making eye contact with the fairy one last time.

Her eyes were wide, and scared. He managed to send her an encouraging smile before the wall cut his sight off. Trying to shake his thoughts away from the fairy, he concentrated on the route that he had to take. He had to take a different route as he made his way to his own personnel room. The door that separated him from his own room was closed just like how he had last left it. His hand trembled slightly as he reached for the doorknob, with a twist he opened it, and stepped inside.

A bed made of straw was on the left corner of the room with a small cup next to it were he drank water from, and a lantern farther away next to a box of match that was empty expect for one match. It was the only way to provide light in the dark room. He usually only used it in spare occasions since Pitch only gave him a match every couple of weeks. The candle inside was half-used, and would last a couple more uses. He shut the door behind him blocking out the little light leaving him in complete darkness.

Used to the darkness that usually accompanied the room he expertly made his way to the bed, only stumbling slightly before he made it. After a couple of moments were he complemented the best way for him to sit down before he finally managed it. He settled his crutches besides the bed before getting comfortable as possible in the make-shift bed he was on. Once he got in a suitable position he pulled on the collar that he had on. He completely despised it.

It felt uncomfortable as it was slightly tight around his neck, but he mostly didn't like it because Pitch usually like to choke him whenever he had it on. It was a symbol that meant that his freedom was gone. It went against nature, he wasn't supposed to have something on that marked him as somebody else's property. It seemed to, as Pitch had said, mark him as his. His thoughts suddenly went back to that one fairy. He remembered how she had kept fighting even when her freedom was taken away. Did, did that mean he could also fight?

No, that wasn't possible. That wasn't even an option. Even so it irked him how she hadn't given up. What made her different? As he pondered over it he suddenly realized that she needed a name.

Pitch had said that they were the Tooth Fairy's helpers. Was that why they had all freaked out when he had grinned? His teeth were still the same brilliant white. No matter what they seemed to never stain. So if they were obsessed with teeth he could name her something that had to do with teeth. So he stayed on his bed a good time complementing all the possible names he could name her. After running out of ideas he let out a frustrated growl. How hard was it to figure out a name? He closed his eyes trying not to let his concentration waver. After a moment as almost by miracle a name popped into his mind. He grinned. Perfect.

_Baby Tooth._

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**Awesome I was finally able to finish the chapter. I'm sorry once again for the long wait. I promise not to let such a long time pass by without updating. Thanks for all the positive reviews. My inspiration and encouragement gets boosted by seeing all the comments. Till later!**


	5. Spiral Downwards

**I just love all the reviews. I was impressed when I updated last time at all the review I had. So yeah, I was excited so I started on the next chapter right away. Even though I updated again really later than I expected, for which I'm sorry, but I got sick which kind of stopped me from being able to write. I also had **_**Higuchimon **_**suggest that I try to do it from Baby Tooth's view of point, so the beginning is from her point of view. I've read several stories were bad stuff happens to the characters, and I still wanted to keep reading, so I get what you mean **_**Litji **_**;). Wait, does that make me a mean person? Haha, anyways here's the chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything.**

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Her eyes stared at the spot where he had been a moment ago blankly. She could still see the ghost of his smile. It lingered in her mind, his smile haunting her for the rest of her life. It was meant to reassure her, to a certain extent comfort her. Instead all it did was agitate her, made her feel guilty. He was the one that was hurt, both physically, and mentally, yet here he was trying to comfort her, when in reality she was the one that least needed comforting compared to him.

While she had gotten kidnapped and shoved into a cage, that was nothing compared to what had happened to him. She hadn't, _couldn't_ turn a blind eye to the horrifying state he was. He was covered in bruises, and not to mention completely filthy. Her heart had stopped when she first saw him. For a moment she had thought her mind was playing a trick on her. When she realized that it wasn't a trick she wanted it to be a nightmare. A horrible one, but then his eyes had widened and he had taken a step backwards before disappearing.

He had left her flabbergasted. What was a kid doing down here? Who was he? Had Pitch done that to him? An unusual rage stirred within her. How could Pitch do that to a mere child? Could he have really fallen that low? To the point of harming an innocent child like that? The more she thought about it the more she got confused. It couldn't be a normal human, a human couldn't have survived that long. He also wouldn't have been able to see her.

After all how could he believe in her? What reason was there for him to believe in her? That left her with the sudden realization that he was a spirit. Another terrifying thought came to her mind. How long had he been here? She shuddered at how long he had been stuck down here. He was barely a child.

Underneath all the grime and dirt she could see how young he was. And underneath all the pain and misery she could see the innocence that only a child could possess. An innocence that was slowly deterring under all the cruelty he was receiving. She clinched her fist as the image of him suddenly freezing, his face twisting into one of fear. How someone could look that terrified of somebody? His face radiated pure fear. She had felt it along with all the others, a chill that made her shiver slightly. Followed by a dark presence that fell on them, choking them with the darkness that accompanied him.

When Pitch finished talking to him, that's when he had smiled at her. Pitch of course had noticed the action. She could feel his dark intentions as he observed her. She was trying her best to ignore it acting instead like she didn't notice it or care. Right now she was doing everything she could not to turn and stare at him. After a couple of moments she saw him move. The movement making her head snap to the side automatically.

She instantly regretted it, as Pitch was walking closer to where she was. His footsteps made a soft thump on the floor as he strolled forward without a care. His yellow eyes were locked on her, not faltering even when she nervously fluttered her feathers. For a moment she debated whether to move away to where Pitch couldn't see her. No, she decided, she was going to stand her ground. She wasn't about to shrink away from him.

He stopped, his eyes still trained on her. Lazily, he summoned more sand that appeared circling around him as it formed the appearance of a Nightmare. With a swift motion it came galloping in the air towards the cage she was in. For a second she froze, her eyes widening slightly before she snapped back to her senses, just as the Nightmare barged through the middle of the bars. All the fairies around her rapidly started to fly around in panic.

The Nightmare ignored all the fairies fluttering around, instead making its way to her. She glared at it as it snorted, stomping its foot angrily. Its smooth muscles tightened as it readied to spring forward. With a neigh it sprang forward. She jumped out of its way as its teeth barely missed her. It quickly turned around trying to snap at her again. She managed to slip into the crowd, losing herself in between all the fairies that looked like her.

For a moment it worked. The Nightmare looked around trying to spot her. It neighed again before thrusting forward straight to where she was. She yelped in surprise as it grabbed her wings pulling her harshly. The horse bit down a bit harder making her squirm in pain. She could see all the other fairies had noticed that she was in its hold. With a cry they lunged forward attacking it. For a moment it looked like they were going to defeat it but then four other Nightmare's appeared.

The one holding her raised its legs up before flying out of the cage while the other ones cornered the rest of the fairies. The Nightmare stopped in front of Pitch who was staring at her with a twisted smile. "Perfect." He simply said. With a wave of his hand she was being lifted into the air again. She let out another cry as her vision was overcome with blackness. She couldn't see anything, she could only that something was wrapping around her.

Tighter and tighter around her body to the point where she couldn't breathe. She choked trying to get air. She struggled but whatever was wrapped around her got even tighter. The only thing she could do was open her mouth like a fish that was out of the water. Her lungs and throat burned with the lack of oxygen. She tried to squirm again as a last ditch effort. Her efforts started to lessen as her strength faded. Her mouth closed as her mind started to shut down. She sagged against the bounds with one final twitch.

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The cool air hit his skin as he stood his ground. His eyes alert for any tiny movement that would indicate an attack. His muscles tense waiting for the Nightmares to attack. His ears twitching at the slightest noises. The Guardians around him were also tense waiting. The air was thick filled with the anticipation of a fight. The defining silence did nothing to calm his beating heart. His fingers gripped the smooth texture of his boomerangs. It comforted him to feel them in his hands ready to be launched at any moment.

Making sure they were prepared to be flung he steadied them. He waited. Just when he thought that Pitch wouldn't stick his head out a Nightmare whizzed right past his head. He snapped his head to the side, dodging the attack by a couple of centimeters. With practiced ease he shot out his boomerang. It flew through the air, before slicing through the Nightmare. He stuck his hand out, the boomerang coming back only to go flying out again as more Nightmares resurfaced.

Out of the corner of his eye he could see all the other Guardians were also engaging in the fight. His leg went up kicking a Nightmare, twisting his body in the air he snatched his boomerang out of the air. He groaned slightly as he saw the giant mass of black Nightmares that clouded the sky, but he didn't get to ponder on the sight as he jumped over a Nightmare, flipping in the air before hitting it with his legs.

He continued throwing his boomerangs with deadly precision, while sometimes issuing kicks, and punches. His muscles started to ache slightly at the continuous use. With a shaky breath he ignored the ache and kept on fighting. It seemed no matter how many Nightmares he took down three would take its place. He groaned, frustrated at the little process they were making. It seemed that the Nightmares were overpowering them.

They kept coming out of every shadow, slithering up the walls, across the floor, before jumping out and attacking them. He chucked his boomerang out as he saw a Nightmare creeping up on North. It slashed through it before coming back to him. North turned around at the sound, before realizing what had happened. He nodded thanking him before he continued cutting through the mass of horses.

They continued like this sometimes it was one of the other Guardians that would save him from a Nightmare that was creeping up on him. After fighting his way through he was back to back with North. "Bunny, there's too many of them, were being overwhelmed. At this rate were going to be defeated." North yelled out, his voice strained as he held back a couple of Nightmares with his swords. Bunny nodded, eliminating the ones North was holding back.

"I know that! Pitch hasn't even appeared either." He responded as he threw an egg at a horde of Nightmares. While he was fighting he noticed that Pitch hadn't shown up. He wasn't one to miss the opportunity to see them close to being defeated. But his usual spot was absent. The lack of the Nightmare King was unsettling. Bunny knew that he was plotting something. He could feel it. With a kick a Nightmare disappeared where it had been trying to attack him. Something about these Nightmares felt off.

They were stronger than they should be. With the lack of believers Pitch had his Nightmares weren't supposed to be this strong, not even with the small amount of believers Tooth had lost. He couldn't place what was making them so strong, it was as if Pitch had power from the beginning, and right now he was starting to gain more. Now that he thought about it the whole fight felt off.

"North, you've noticed that the Nightmares are stronger than they should be?" He asked. North frowned for a moment, pondering over the new question that he had asked. "Now that you mention it, yes they are quite stronger than they should be." North answered him. It didn't add up. Bunny frowned looking towards the other two Guardians who were fighting. Tooth was up in the air slashing through Nightmare after Nightmare with her wings.

Even though it wasn't noticeable to anyone who didn't know what they were looking for he could tell that she was getting tired. Her shoulders were starting to sag slightly, her breath was coming out in stronger and sharper puffs. Next to her Sandy was the one that seemed to be less affected out of them all. He was higher above, surrounded in a golden cloud. He was viciously swinging his whips around destroying all the Nightmares around him. He noticed his gaze on him, and smiled back, tilting his head slightly to the side.

Bunny snorted. "Bloody, show pony." He muttered, but the corner of his mouth twitched up. With a rush of energy he started fighting again. After a while he noticed that the Nightmares finally seemed to be dwelling down. As he threw his boomerang he felt a shiver go down his back. He turned around in time to see Pitch appear. His eyes narrowed as he saw the giant horde of Nightmares that were surrounding Sandy. Floating a mere couple of feet away from him was Pitch, in his hands an arrow was starting to form.

Without second thought he swung his boomerang desperately hoping it would hit Pitch or at least distract him. At the same time he yelled out. "Tooth! Go help Sandy!" Tooth who had just finished defeating a Nightmare turned around at his yell. Her eyes went up to where Sandy was before darting towards him. His boomerang, while it hadn't managed to hit Pitch it managed to delay him for a second or two, as he merely waved his hand up, making a shield of sand where his weapon simply bounced off.

He watched it fall to the ground limply. With a jump he rushed towards it, covering the ground easily. He picked it up, jumping on a ladder that was connected to the building before jumping onto North's sleigh. He steadied himself as it started flying upwards to where Tooth was trying to fight off Pitch. Sandy seemed to have noticed what was happening, and was trying to fight off the sward of Nightmares, but to no avail.

As they got closer he kept throwing his boomerangs out, but his main focus was on Tooth. Pitch was overpowering her. His face held a twinge of annoyance but it mostly reflected a humorous look. The arrow was gone replaced by a scythe that he was now wielding. He was swinging it with deadly accuracy trying to catch Tooth. She kept dodging but every time it got closer and closer. Each time he swung Bunny would tense up, always afraid it would manage to hit her.

Just as they got closer she swung trying to land a hit on him. With stunning speed he twisted the scythe that he was swinging the other way towards her. Bunny's eyes widened as he realized that she wouldn't be able to dodge it.

It happened in slow motion. The scythe came cutting through the air before slicing into Tooth's side. A gasp came from both North, and Bunny, just as Tooth opened her mouth. A scream filled the air, full of pain, making everybody freeze for a moment. The scythe after slicing through her side disappeared. Tooth's wings stopped fluttering behind her, lying limp on her back. Her head rolled back as she started falling out of the sky.

Before she could fall towards the ground, Pitch snatched her by the neck. Tooth's hands went up clawing weakly at the fingers that were crushing her windpipe. Pitch sneered curling his fingers around her throat. Tooth struggled but Pitch simply dropped a hand, holding her with only one. After a moment he loosened his grip, staring at North, and him. Pitch seemed to ponder for a moment, before throwing Tooth into the air.

By that time he was close enough to throw his boomerangs at him. He didn't watch what Pitch did as he jumped from the sleigh. For a moment he paled feeling the lack of ground, before he saw Tooth falling. He brought his arms in front, his fingers grazing her. He could feel the air as it seemed to scream in his ears. Just a bit more, he thought stretching out even more. His fingers brushed against her but this time he managed to grab her.

He clung onto her. He was still falling but at least she was safe. Positioning himself so he would land first he placed her on his chest. He gently tapped her face. Her eyes fluttered as she fought to open them. She managed to open them long enough to make eye contact with him. Her eyes were clouded with pain, but she managed a weak smile. "Don't worry Sheila, we'll take care of you." Staying awake enough to hear what he was saying she passed out. Her head rolled slightly before falling onto his chest. He swallowed his panic and pressed his hand on her side trying to stop the stem of blood.

The blood seeped through his fingers at an alarming rate. He ignored it at the moment and instead closed his eyes as he realized that he was nearing the ground. He braced himself for the pain that was going to come, instead something wrapped around him and Tooth. Bunny's eyes snapped open. He let out a breath as he saw Sandy's sand wrapped around them protectively. They hung in the air swinging violently until Sandy steadied the sand.

He helped North hoist Tooth up into the sleigh. Sandy extended his hand, which Bunny took gratefully. Once they were all in the sleigh he slumped against it trying to catch his breath, and ignore the fact that he had almost crashed into the ground from several feet above ground. Sandy placed a hand on his shoulder, making him look up. A question mark formed above his head. He nodded. "I'm fine, how's Tooth?"

He got up walking to where North was trying to direct the reindeer and take care of Tooth at the same time. He took Tooth from North and placed her on the floor gently. Sandy immediately sprinkled sand over her head. While he did that Bunny took a roll of bandages he had in his pouch and wrapped her side. Blood immediately soaked the bandage staining it red. Sandy placed his hand on the bandages keeping pressure on it. He nodded at him.

"Hold on everyone!" North warned them. Bunny grabbed the edge of the railing. His other hand was holding onto Tooth's legs, he knew Sandy would hold onto Tooth's upper body. With a throw of his arm North let go of a globe. The sleigh passed through the vortex, before appearing near The North again. Bunny feeling less nauseous looked over at Sandy, and Tooth. His hand was still on the injury. "I did not think Pitch would have fallen to something so low." North's voice cut through the silence.

Bunny nodded. "He crossed the line before with taking Jack, but he overdid it with Tooth." He stated. He looked down at himself. Suddenly noticing the blood that was smeared across his fur. It covered his chest and arm. Half of him was covered with red.

Tooth's blood.

* * *

_There was snow everywhere, coating everything with white, making everything glitter. He stepped forward immediately feeling something slick underneath his feet. He looked down. He was standing on a frozen lake. He frowned. What was he doing here? He couldn't remember how he got here. He shrugged instead choosing to enjoy the landscape. He moved his arms to put them behind his back. Stopping he noticed that he had his staff in his hand. His eyebrows knitted in confusion. _

_The staff, it felt so normal, but he swore it felt like he hadn't carried it in years. He balanced it in his hand before twirling it. He let out a chuckle as it twirled around naturally. Just as he was beginning to relax he heard footsteps coming his way. He looked up as Bunny approached him. He wanted to smile but Bunny's expression made him falter. Instead he nodded his head towards him. Bunny didn't acknowledge him. _

_He kept stomping on until he was directly in front of him. He flinched at the close proximity, but otherwise stayed still. The trees shook as the wind ruffled his hair back. "So what's up?" He asked, nervously fidgeting with his staff. "What's up?" Bunny repeated the question, somehow managing to make it sound like he had just asked the stupidest question. He gulped nodding slightly. He let his bangs fall in front of his eyes as he looked down, staring at a gleam coming from the lake. _

_He let out a gasp as he received a hard shove to the chest. Stumbling back he tripped falling straight on his bottom. He looked up at Bunny with wide eyes, disbelieve clear in his eyes. His mouth opened trying to form words but it all came out jumbled. "Wha-Y-You-Why?" He finally managed to choke out a question. Bunny's face contorted into one of rage, as Jack got up. Finally gathering some courage he approached Bunny._

"_What's wrong with you? Why did you push me?' He demanded. This time Bunny responded by snatching his staff out of his hand. "Hey! That's mine give it back!" He yelled, trying to snatch his staff out of his hand, instead Bunny gave him a hard kick, making him double over as all the air got knocked out of him. He huffed, raising his blurry eyesight up at Bunny. Betrayal was written all over his face. Bunny merely snorted. "You have the nerve to ask what's wrong. After what you did, you would think you would have at least had the decency to apologize?"_

_Jack stared at him dumbfounded. His hand still clutching his stomach, he managed to stand up. He had no idea what he was talking about. What did he mean by what he had done? What did he have to apologize for? He hadn't done nothing. "W-What," He caught his breathe, "Are you talking about? What did I do?" He asked. It only made Bunny more furious. He grabbed his staff before throwing it into the forest. He gasped his hand shooting out to try and stop him, but it was too late._

_He watched his beloved staff fly into the air, before crashing into the trees, falling on to the ground with a thump. "No!" He glared at Bunny before lunging at him. Bunny easily dodged the attack bringing his knee up hitting him in the stomach again. He let out a cry falling to the ground, with a sickening crack his chin the solid ice. He didn't get a chance to grab his hurt chin, as Bunny fell on top of him. He grabbed his arm, ignoring all his struggles, and protests._

_He held his arm in a hold, his knee digging into his back. His face was smashed against the ice, his cheek that was smothered against the ice ached. "You killed those kids Jack." He hissed into his ear. He immediately stopped struggling. His eyes widened as he processed what Bunny had just told him. What? That couldn't be possible. He had never killed anybody. "You killed them. You __**kill**__ everything. Anything you ever have is destroyed, you can't love anything because your heart is __**frozen**__."_

"_That's-that's not true!" He yelled back, desperately trying to ignore what he was saying. "They were just innocent children. They had done nothing wrong. They were barely starting to live their lives, before that was stripped from them." He tried to shut out everything, to imagine that he wasn't saying that. It just couldn't be true. "Their bodies were frozen, frostbite all over them, with frozen tears were on their cheeks. But the biggest thing was that there was a snowflake over their chest."_

"_That wasn't me! I could never kill a child!" He cried out. Sure he was Jack Frost the bringer of winter, but that didn't mean he would go around killing children just for the fun of it. "Oh, but you do. What do you think winter symbolizes? It means death, it kills everything, and ends everything! You're the meaning of death. Your powers are a curse."_

"_Stop!" He choked out. He could feel his eyes starting to water. _

"_People freeze, people are killed in blizzards, and in ice. Now tell me Jack Frost," He spat out his name as if he was tasting something foul, "Did you think killing those children was __**fun**__?"_

_He was sobbing now. Tears were rolling down his face, falling to the ground in soft splatters. Bunny growled pulling his arm back with a jerk. He let out a sob of pain. "You don't deserve to cry, you piece of scum!" He tried to stop, he did, but the hiccup escaped his lips. Bunny's face turned darker as he pulled his arm back with all the force he had. A loud pop was heard followed by a scream of pain. "Now tell me was that __**fun**__?" Laughter was heard, accompanied by sobbing, filling the air with a haunting melody._

A whimper escaped his lips as he shot up. He looked around, his heart accelerating when he didn't recognize where he was. Seeing nothing but black his breath got even harsher. A sharp pain in his side let him let out a choked yell. His hands went to his side like in his nightmare. He forced himself to take steady breaths. After a moment he was able to calm his breathing.

Now that the panic had faded his ribs were pulsing. He let out a shaky breath. Instead of ignoring the pain, he welcomed it, embraced it. It helped him from going into another panic attack. He trembled slightly as he remembered what Bunny had said. He scooted until his back touched the wall. He tried to ignore the way his lip was starting to tremble. His eyes started to swell up with water before cascading down his pale cheeks.

He couldn't shake the words he had said to him away. He would never kill anyone. Especially a child, that like Bunny had said was innocent, and was barely starting to live their lives. He shivered remembering his last words. _"Now tell me was that __**fun**__?" _A thought entered his mind as he thought about Pitch.

Did he think hurting him was fun?

* * *

**I'm done! As always I appreciate the reviews that I get. Since I probably won't update after Thanksgiving, I want to say Happy Thanksgiving! Well, until next time.**


	6. Coldness and Darkness

**Snow in November, Jack's a little early this year. The reviews are greatly appreciated, and they make my day. I honestly am astounded by the amount of favorites and follows I have. I didn't expect so many people to like the story, so I just wanted to thank everybody for all the reviews, favorites, and followers I have. **

**I'll just include a warning in case… There will be a bit of abuse in this chapter. Not too much… Well then the next chapter is now up!**

**Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

* * *

He stared at the door with an intensity that threatened to burn a hole through it. He tempted with the idea to scream, and lash out. Now that he was alone, he was finding himself being swallowed in his thoughts. In his _guilt_. None of this would have happened if he hadn't told her to go help Sandy. This was all his fault. If he hadn't told Tooth she wouldn't have gotten hurt. Now she was in there fighting to keep breathing, because of him.

This was all his fault.

If anything happened to her it would be in his conscious. He let out a groan, sinking down to the ground as he buried his head in his knees. His sensible ears could pick up what was going on in the room next to him. He could hear North translating what Sandy didn't understand. He hit the ground with his fists, ignoring the pain it shot up his hand. While Tooth was in there, fighting for her life, he was outside doing nothing.

He flexed his fingers feeling them stinging where he had hit the ground. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. This was the reason he had been kicked out. He had frozen when they had gotten there. North told him that he was getting in the way. That he was only making things worse.

Making things worse, he snorted, it was something he seemed to be good at lately. He made everything worse. It all started and ended with him making everything worse. He closed his eyes, remembering everything he had done.

First he had screwed up with Jack. He had been taken almost literally under his nose. He could have turned around faster, he could have taken him seriously, even if it was just once. _He could have prevented him from getting taken. _If only he hadn't let his anger get the best of him. Now Jack was paying the consequences, of his failure.

He could only hope that he was okay. If anything had happened to him he didn't know if he would be able to bear it. It weighed down on him. He couldn't imagine what he would do if Jack was hurt. He had really screwed up on that one but if only it had stopped at that.

Now Tooth was in the infirmary, bleeding out on the table, while everybody else was helping her. Everybody but him. He. The one who had messed everything up. He was the reason why Tooth was hurt. Why there was a probability that she wouldn't make it. He sighed, rubbing his face with his hands. He stayed like that until he could no longer stay still.

He go up, resuming his pacing. He remembered the horrible moment when they had gotten back. He could still hear North's words, as he snapped at Bunny.

_As soon as they landed, they all jumped into action immediately. North threw the reins on the floor, before jumping out of the sleigh. While he ordered the panicking yetis around, Sandy and Bunny were trying to figure out what the best way to get Tooth to the infirmary was. They looked at each uncertainly until Sandy grinned, a light bulb appearing over his head._

_He gestured for Bunny to pick her up. He cradled her in his chest, while Sandy waved his hands. The sand stretched out, forming a bed. Sandy nodded, motioning him to put Tooth on the bed. He smiled faintly as he placed her on the bed, making sure her injury wasn't jostled._

_With Tooth now on the bed, they were able to move more efficiently. North had already told all the yetis to prepare the infirmary. They all made their way to the infirmary in breaking time. The yetis had the room ready by the time they got there. Sandy placed her over the bed, as the sand slowly disappeared. She was softly laid on the hospital bed. Once she was there North started ordering the yetis. They undid the bandage that he had placed to stop the blood._

_As soon as they peeled it off, blood started to ooze out slowly dripping down her side. It splattered on the white sheet staining it a bold red. He froze, everything around him blurred out as his gaze focused on the blood. He faintly thought he heard North calling his name, but that also got blocked out along with everything else. All he could see was the red that was steadily dripping from her side._

_It kept coming out, there seemed to be no end to how much kept pouring out. Suddenly North's face was in front of his, his beefy hands were shaking his shoulders. He blinked suddenly realizing that North was talking to him. "Bunny! Bunny! Snap out of it!" He slowly became aware of the mass chaos that was going around him. The yetis were desperately trying to make the bleeding stop. She was losing too much blood._

"_Bunny! If you do not snap out of it, I'm going to kick you out." North's statement managed to make him react. He gasped, his body still shaking as North kept rattling him. "I'm fine now." Bunny muttered. North gave him a look, but nodded. He went back to observing and knowing what the yetis were doing. Bunny stood there not sure what he could do._

_One of the yetis saved him the trouble as it threw the towels they had used at him. He blanched slightly as he noticed they were soaked with blood, but he ignored it and walked over to the other side, throwing them into a trashcan._

_As he walked over he suddenly heard North yelling, but what caught him was the desperation in his voice. He couldn't understand what he was saying but he could tell something was going on. He ran over, skidding to a stop next to North. "What's going on?" He could hear his own panic in his voice as he asked. North glanced over at him before answering quickly. "She is barely breathing. Her pulse is very weak, she has lost lots of blood."_

_A coldness washed over his body. He felt himself start to tremble, his heart was pounding in his ears, blocking all the sounds out again. He stood there frozen watching all the yetis started pulling out different types of machines. An oxygen mask was pulled over her face. Her feathers were ruffled as the string was placed behind her ears._

_His vision was partially blocked as a yeti started to work on her injury. It was at that point that he realized that he had been pushed to the side. He was just standing there motionless. North was handing the yeti all the instruments, while Sandy was weaving his dream sand over her head. A moment later the heart monitor was placed, Tooth's weak pulse appeared on the screen. The only sign that she was still breathing._

_He heard a yeti talking to him, but he ignored it, his focus remained on Tooth. It wasn't until North spoke that his eyes flickered up to him. "The yeti says that you are in the way Bunny. You're blocking the cabinet behind you. I think that perhaps you are better off outside." Guilt immediately shined on his face as he hurriedly moved out of the way. He looked up at North, his mouth opening to protest, but North beat him to it._

"_Bunny you are doing no good in here. You're freezing up, and we don't have time to do that. Tooth's life is at stake right now, we cannot jeopardize her life. Go outside and wash the blood off." Bunny felt a spark of anger go off at North's words._

"_I can't just go away. It's my fault she's in that situation to begin with! I can't leave her." Bunny snapped back. North's face softened a bit before it hardened. "This isn't anybody's fault but Pitch's. He did this. But you're not helping Bunny, if you want her to survive then do her a favor and go outside." He hid the pain, the shadows suddenly shielding his eyes. With a sharp turn he walked out of the room. The door slamming behind him. _

_Closing it on North's face as it turned into one of regret._

He grit his teeth angrily. Bunny didn't know how long he had been outside walking from one side to the other. He froze mid-step. His ears perked up as he heard North suddenly yelling from inside. He opened the door regardless of anything. He took in the sight before him. No, he thought as his face turned into one of horror. The heart monitor that was hooked up to Tooth was flat.

Tooth wasn't breathing.

* * *

He stared at the wall. His thoughts kept drifting back and forth from the nightmare he had had and Pitch. After the nightmare he couldn't bring himself to go back to sleep. Currently he was leaning on the wall carefully, making sure that his ribs weren't being jostled. He didn't know what to do. The pain from all his injuries were starting to come back, but what was most present was the hunger. It was gnawing at his stomach, making it growl.

He tried to distract himself from the pain by pulling at his collar. It was still there and it was bothering him. He tried pulling it more to see if it would loosen at all. It wasn't choking him but it felt uncomfortable to have around his neck. Every time he would bend his neck the cold collar would dig into his soft flesh. He sighed as it didn't budge.

He despised it. He still remembered the first time Pitch had placed it on him. It had been the day he had gotten kidnapped. It branded him as a pet, as _Pitch's_ pet. He hung his lower at the thought, ignoring how it was pinching his skin. He didn't want to be anybody's pet. It meant depriving him of his freedom. It meant doing everything Pitch ordered him to do.

He moaned as a pang of hunger went through his stomach. "Ugh." He immediately covered his mouth with his hands. He tensed waiting to be reprimanded. His shoulders sagged as he realized he was alone. At the exact moment the door was thrown open. Light showered him, making him bring his arm up to shield his eyes. Once his eyes got used to the light he could see Pitch standing there.

He tensed again. What did he want? Had he done something bad? "I see you're already awake, how convenient." Pitch seemed happy. He nodded towards him. "Get up." Pitch said simply. He turned around leaving him to his thoughts. He hesitated for a moment before grabbing his crutches. Once he was up he tried to quickly make his way to Pitch. Pitch had walked away not caring if he was handicapped. "Oh the fun I had. You wouldn't believe what happened Frosty."

As Pitch talked he realized that they were heading towards where the fairies were. As soon as Pitch appeared all the fairies quieted down. He shuffled behind him aware that the fairies were staring at him. "As I was saying, I meet up with the Guardians. I aiming for the Sandy but Tooth had to jump in and save the day. Too bad she won't be able to save her life." Pitch smirked at the last part.

All the fairy's squeaked, leaning forward to hear what Pitch was going to say next. "While she managed to avoid getting Sandy from getting hit, she wasn't as lucky." He stopped, adding more effect to what he was saying. "She's probably bleeding out, right this instant." As soon as the words were out of his mouth all the fairies went crazy. Pitch watched amusement clearly written across his face.

He on the other hand didn't know what to think. He never had meet the Tooth Fairy. A part of him knew that he should say something about this, it wasn't right, but what could he do? If he said anything he knew he would regret it. Pitch's deep chuckle echoed through the room, bouncing off the walls, amplifying to the point it overpowered all the fairies angry cries.

"Oh, what a wonderful reaction. What do you think Frosty?" Pitch's gaze turned to him expectantly. He swallowed. "Uh-I-I." He stuttered trying to figure out what to say. Pitch raised a nonexistent eyebrow. "I-I think that." He trailed off again not sure what Pitch was expecting him to say. He nervously looked up at Pitch. What if he said something wrong?

He saw Pitch's arm move, and the next thing he knew he was on the floor. His cheek stung as it started to turn red. His hand moved to cup his face as he cowered on the floor. He felt his eyes starting to water slightly as the pain from his ribs returned more intense. From the top of his vision he knew Pitch was crouching down. He flinched as he spoke.

"That wasn't such a hard question to answer." Pitch told him.

"I don't know." He answered truthfully. He could tell that he didn't like the answer, if Pitch sighing was any indication.

"You just had to ruin my good mood with your stupidity." The words stung. He lowered his head to avoid looking at him in the eyes. "You know what I just realized? You've been a very disobedient pet, and you know what happens to disobedient pets? They need to be punished and I have the perfect solution."

He shivered looking at him in fear. Pitch's smile stretched as he watched him. His arms went behind him as he tried to back away from him. He scooted away, his hands brushed against the crutches, but they were ignored in his hast to create some distance between him and Pitch. His mind conjuring images that were terrifying him.

"Now, come on Frosty. You know better than to resist." Pitch's tone was soft. He stopped, knowing if he tried anything it would only end up worse for him. His head slouched as he anxiously looked at Pitch. "S-sorry." The apology came out sounding desperate even for him. He knew Pitch was soaking up every moment that he made him beg, and apologize so that he wouldn't hurt him.

"While the apology is accepted, it still doesn't save you from your punishment." The man said, a wicked smirk on his face.

He whimpered. The sound escaped his lips before he could stop it. The only thing it caused was for Pitch to laugh. "Oh, Frosty, your fear is intoxicating." Pitch took a deep breath in, as if he was smelling something delicious. "It only fuels me to keep scaring you, to keep making you cry, to make you beg." Pitch said, his head tilted to the side as he observed him. With a nod he snapped his fingers, making him jump.

For a moment he froze, not sure what to expect. When he didn't feel anything he slowly let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. Just when he was starting to wonder if Pitch was messing with him, he felt something poke him from underneath the collar. He let out a yelp, his hands flying to touch his collar. He could feel little spikes on the inside digging into his neck, making him panic.

He pulled on it in a last ditch effort to yank it off. The only thing it did was make the spikes bite into his skin. He looked up at Pitch, his eyes watered making his vision blurry. He was starting to breathe faster, with beads of sweat going down the side of his face.

"They use it as a way to train disobedient pets. I figured it was the best way to train you. Especially when trying out new ideas." A twisted smile made him flinch.

No, he thought, could Pitch be so cruel? But as the spikes stopped forming he realized he already knew the answer. The spikes were now digging in all around his neck. They were close to breaking his skin, but he realized any movement would cause them to bury themselves into his neck. He was too concentrated on the collar that he didn't notice the long leash that had formed in Pitch's hand, until he went to clip it on.

He let out a yell, batting his hands away in panic. He didn't realize what he was doing, everything around him was in a daze, and all he knew was that the collar was on him. He scrambled away more trying to avoid him from attaching the leash on. He heard Pitch growl in frustration before excruciating pain spread across his leg.

He let out an ear splitting scream. The tears that had threatened to escape his eyes, ran down his face freely. He clutched his leg, realizing that Pitch was squeezing it. When he ran out of breath, he let out a choked sob, trying to desperately make the pain go away. Another agonizing scream tore from his throat. He couldn't stand it anymore.

His bone that was barely starting to heal was being crushed. He should have known that when Pitch had wrapped his leg up it was for his own personal benefit. His eyes were clamped shut tight as tears escaped from the corners of his eyes. Cold fingers wrapped around his chin, startling him.

"Now that wouldn't have been necessary, if you wouldn't have resisted. See, you make everything worse by disobeying." Pitch spoke, using a scolding tone.

It was then that he realized that Pitch had stopped crushing his broken leg. A hiccup tore from his throat, reminding him of the nightmare. He nodded, his leg still in intense pain.

"I-I'm s-s-sorry." He croaked out, his throat aching from screaming.

Pitch patted him on the head, making him flinch. "Well, now that you've made a scene, I have to finish this. I can't wait to try out the idea." Pitch smiled gleefully.

He looked up, all the background noise suddenly flooding in. All the fairies were staring at him in horror. He was sure a moment ago they had been making a racket. He turned away, afraid to meet their gaze. Pitch snickered, before stretching his hand out and clipping the leash on.

He gasped, before pulling it slightly. The sharp spikes dug even deeper into his neck. Pitch snapped his fingers, and the crutches disappeared. Pitch didn't waste a second and walked behind him. He tensed as he grabbed him by the shoulders and flipped him over. He let out a cry, as his face hit the rough ground. Before he could even twitch Pitch had bent down and was placing his arms under his own.

Without hesitation he pulled him up, earning a whimper of pain as he forced his ribs to move. Once he was up, he found himself sagging, only being held up by Pitch. He felt vulnerable not being able to hold himself up. He stared at him alarmingly as Pitch grabbed his right arm and placed it over his shoulder. He opened his mouth to ask him what he was doing, but he quickly closed it.

He didn't want to make him angrier. Luckily, he didn't get to wonder what he was about to do because Pitch bent down, making him go over his back. At the same time he felt Pitch wrap an arm around his right knee. Pitch straightened up, and suddenly he knew what he was doing.

His right arm was being held by Pitch, who somehow was grabbing his leg. He squirmed slightly, feeling awkward dangling over his shoulder. This was the first time Pitch had ever carried him, and he was pretty sure it was the first and last time.

"Stop squirming or I'll drag you across the floor instead." Pitch warned him. He immediately stopped. He ignored his ribs that were being pulled. It was nothing compared to what he had experienced a couple of moments ago. He leg was still sending sharp jolts of pain. Suddenly he remembered the fairies. He armored himself with bravery and looked up. The fairies were still looking at them. Most of them still wearing horrified faces.

Knowing that they were probably were now disgusted by him he lowered his head, letting it hang. He couldn't bring himself to see how they would reject him. What did they think about him now that they saw how he was abused? Did they think he was pathetic? Like Pitch told him. He himself was ashamed of how weak and pitiful he was.

Maybe he could have done something to prevent all of this? Perhaps, they thought the same thing. That he could have tried to fight back, or defend himself. He bit his lip until he tasted the familiar metallic taste. No, if he tried anything it would only end up with him getting more injured. Years here had taught him that. There was no point in fighting back. Pitch himself had told him that he could have avoided all of that hassle if he had just followed his orders.

Dangling upside, behind Pitch's neck he snuggled his head to his back. He wondered if Pitch noticed or if he would do something. He didn't know what had compelled him to lay his head down, he wondered if this was what it felt like to be close to somebody. To feel there heart beating, relaxing them, as if whispering a comforting melody.

To have somebody tell them soothing words while they ruffled their hair. He resisted the urge to snuggle his face into his robe. He didn't want to admit it, but this was the most contact with somebody he was going to receive. Even if it was coming from the person that hurt him the most, and had just caused him so much pain.

Even if it was just for one moment he wanted to imagine that he was hugging somebody that _cared_ about him, but that was _impossible_ because no one _liked him._ He wanted to hold onto the feeling he was imaging and to treasure it. Because in an instance it was going to be gone. And that instance came too soon for him.

He didn't notice that Pitch had stopped, only when he grabbed his hand and moved it over his neck that he realize that he was where Pitch wanted to be. He felt Pitch bend down and place his good foot on the ground, before the support on his upper body was gone. His knees trembled slightly as he suddenly was standing up again. He leaned on his good leg making sure not to place any weight on his other leg.

Once he was certain he wasn't going to topple over he looked around. He didn't recognize the room they were in. There were still various rooms that he had never been too, and this was one of them. It was a plain room with nothing in it, making him wonder once more why Pitch had brought him here. Pitch walked in front of him, the leash still in his hand.

"Tomorrow I'm going to destroy the last hope everybody still pathetically holds onto. I decided why not frost things up a bit?" Pitch said.

He blinked not sure what Pitch was hinting at. Pitch continued ignoring his blank stare. "I've been wondering this for a while now. I've seen your powers, and I've decided to try and join them. After all what goes better than cold and dark?" Pitch looked him straight in the eyes.

He finally understood what he was trying to get at. He wanted his powers? No, he wanted to combine his powers with Pitch's power? He still wasn't sure what that meant. He opened his mouth hesitantly.

"Combine?" He asked quietly. He wasn't quite sure if that's what Pitch wanted. Pitch nodded. He patted him on the head his hand pressing against the bruise, making him wince.

"Maybe, but just maybe you're not as stupid as I thought." Pitch said. Frosty looked up at him with hopeful eyes. His beautiful blue eyes standing out on his pale face. "As I was saying, tomorrow I have to trash a place. So we have until today to learn how to use them together. Just imagine what I could do with even more power."

Suddenly he understood why he had the leash, and the collar. Pitch was making sure that he wouldn't try anything, and if he did try something he could pull on his leash, making the collar dig into his skin. Just like a pet. Punished if he did something he wasn't supposed to. But that wasn't the worst part to him.

What if he couldn't make their powers combine?

* * *

**So I'm feeling like a bit of a cruel person. Hehe, anyways I hope everybody had a happy Thanksgiving. Anybody else want to give Jack a hug too? Dun, dun DUN! The Guardians are facing their own little dilemmas between themselves. What's going to happen to Jack? Will he be able to get their powers to combine? I also know I lot of people want to see the Guardians reactions, and trust me we'll get to that part very soon. You'll just have to wait, so until next time!**


	7. Seed of Doubt

**I'm back, with a new chapter! All the reviews are appreciated, they make my day. The part where Pitch and Jack are trying to combine their powers, is almost happening at the same time the other Guardians are trying to save Tooth's life.**

**Disclaimer: Hmm…. Nah don't own ROTG**

* * *

Again

He came to hate that word. The word brought up memories by itself. Relentless hours of trying to combine their powers only to have it end up futile. They had made no improvement and he could tell that Pitch was getting furious. Not only that, but he was exhausted.

His hair was plastered onto his forehead, little beads of sweat rolled down his face. His breath came in short pants that made his ribs ache. His arms trembled and his legs were starting to wobble. Eyelids were shutting on him, and no matter how hard he tried, they kept closing. His head started to sag, and he violently jerked it up so the spikes wouldn't dig into his skin.

"Again." Pitch ordered. He swallowed knowing his part was up next. Tired eyes watched as Pitch swirled his fingers, twisting the sand in the air. He took a ragged breath before straightening up. He extended his arms out, concentrating. Wrinkles formed in his forehead as his eyes scrunched up in deep thought. Slowly he blocked out everything around him, solely focused on bringing out his powers.

He extended his senses out, trying to find the once familiar power, he now didn't recognize. Once he sensed it, he wrapped around it, tugging on it. He could feel it being expelled out of his hands. He opened his eyes in time to see his power shoot out and hit Pitch's sand. He grimaced, as the sand started to freeze around the corners. But unlike the other times the sand didn't break apart. It stayed solid, not crumbling into little frozen chunks.

He blinked, as a little bit of excitement ran down his body. He looked up at Pitch, who was staring at the sand with an intense look. Finally after a moment he turned his gaze towards him. "Again." The word came out harshly making him shrink back. He nodded timidly, feeling even more nervous.

He waited as Pitch formed his sand, before trying to expel his powers. This time when he found it he dug even deeper. He wasn't sure but he thought his mouth had opened and his hand was stretched out in front of him.

He could feel the vibration of his power as it coursed through him. He let out a breath before expelling it. This time he didn't open his eyes to see what happened. His legs gave out beneath him, and he was falling towards the ground. A small cry passed through his chapped lips. Sand curled around him holding him up, saving him from hitting the floor. He forced himself to open his eyes.

Pitch was grinning gleefully, something that looked twisted on him. A whining sound in the middle of the room caught his attention. His eyes flickered towards it, only to widen a moment later. Horror filled him, along with a shot of guilt. His mouth opened slightly as he stared at the creature. Standing in the middle of the room was a Nightmare, one that was laced with his power.

It shined every time it moved, the blue that was en-laced with, gave it the illusion that it was sparkling. As it came closer he realized that the reason it was shining was because it had frozen over. A thin layer of ice coated its body. Some parts had formed such a thick layer to the point where it was blue. It blended into its skin, making it look even more dangerous. As Pitch stretched his hand out petting it on its head, he realized he had made a monster.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Pitch asked him, still petting the Nightmare. He was so entranced with the Nightmare that he didn't answer. Pitch's golden eyes found his and he immediately found himself drowning in the coldness they held. Pitch let out a hollow laugh. "What's with the horrified face? No matter, I finally managed to get our powers together."

More guilt threatened to bubble up in his chest. He shouldn't have helped Pitch. He shouldn't have helped him make that Nightmare. That _monster_. His shoulders slumped. Pitch kept his gaze on him for a couple of more moments, his golden eyes staring at him with an intensity that made his own blue eyes look down. Pitch grinned, but he missed it as his gaze was on the floor.

A snap echoed through the silent room, making him jerk his head up. He looked at him anxiously, remembering the last time he had snapped his fingers. He relaxed slightly as the sand behind him disappeared. A second later a whimper filled the room as the spikes on his neck retreated. His hands flew to his neck feeling his swollen skin. His skin burned at the touch, and he forced himself to move his hand away.

Finally he was free, at least from the collar. He no longer had something on him that said he was Pitch's property. "You know, now that I think about it, I have a better idea." Pitch interrupted his thoughts. He had a better idea? Dark ideas flashed before his mind filling him with the all too familiar fear. "You're going to come with me, and you're going to help me destroy his lair."

As soon as Pitch's words were out of his mouth, his eyebrows rose in shock. His mouth whispered out the question he didn't dare himself to ask. "What?" The question was whispered, but it drifted through the room. He found himself staring once more at Pitch's eyes. Cruel, golden eyes stared back at him. "You're going to help me destroy Bunny's lair, until there's nothing left of it."

Bunny. The name alone brought up long lost memories. He still remembered how cold his eyes were when he had stared at him. When he had abandoned him. He twitched slightly, at the thought. How did Pitch want him to destroy his home? He didn't want to ruin his lair. He didn't want to harm anybody. _But_, a dark thought barged in his mind, _Bunny himself told you that you killed those children. That he had killed everybody._

No, he thought, that wasn't true. It had all been a dream, a nightmare. Or had it? He couldn't even tell the difference between reality and nightmares anymore. Both of them were entwined together so tightly. Even if he had killed those kids, Bunny protected them. He gave them hope to keep believing. He didn't want to take that away from the children. He didn't deserve to take it away.

"But-"He instantly cut himself off. What was he doing? Was he actually contemplating the idea of refusing? "But, what?" The question was asked with a sharpness to it that threatened to slice through him. He cringed. Why did he do that? He was fine, until he opened his mouth. His opinion didn't count, he _shouldn't_ have said anything.

"I-I don't really w-want to d-destroy Bunny's h-home." He stuttered through the whole sentence, trying to swallow the fear that was already rising. It burned at his chest, suffocating him. Pitch's laugh echoed through the room. It held an amusement that was clearly noticeable.

"Oh, I'm sorry I didn't know that your opinion counted." Pitch's words were laced with sarcasm. He shook his head lightly, rushing to correct himself. "I-I just don't want to s-see B-Bunny." He half-way lied. It was true to a certain point. He didn't want to see Bunny. Especially if he was there to destroy his home. Even if it wasn't the whole truth, but he wasn't going to admit that to Pitch.

"Oh, Jack you know you can't hide the truth from me. I know your fears." Pitch scolded him. His name made him breathe slightly faster. "You're going to help me one way or the other." Alarm sketched itself on his face. "I know that by now you know that I get my way. This time it's going to be no different."

He looked up at him puzzled. He knew Pitch had something up his sleeve, he always did. "And if you think otherwise then I have a little something to change your mind." Pitch's words were dripping with malicious. He took a tentative step backwards. He was aware of the spike in Pitch's moods. They suddenly switched so fast that sometimes he couldn't catch up with them.

"There's enough reasons for you to do what I'm ordering you to do." This time when Pitch spoke he didn't hesitate to believe him.

* * *

Time seemed to slow down as the heart monitor went flat. His legs sprang forward as he rushed over to North's side. North was still standing there motionless. Bunny didn't waste a second and shoved North, trying to get him to snap out of the daze he was in. North jerked away from him, startled by his sudden action. He rubbed his chest where he had pushed him, but his blue eyes were now alert.

He nodded swiftly to him, before walking over to help the yetis. Bunny moved over to where Sandy had floated away to give the yetis more space. Sandy turned his head towards him, catching his eye. Bunny could see the panic that was swirling behind the calm front he had put up. Anybody else wouldn't have been able to see the uneasiness that Sandy was desperately trying to hide. Anybody but Bunny, he knew him to well to not be able to tell.

Sandy floated over until he was next to him, and pulled on his hand motioning for him to follow him. He glanced hesitantly over his shoulder to where Tooth wasn't breathing. Sandy immediately caught the look, and smiled. He pointed at the chair that was placed against the wall. Bunny looked at Tooth again before walking towards it.

Once he reached it, he plopped down on it. Bunny pulled on his best scowl, and crossed his arms over his chest. Sandy gave him a glare that immediately made him uncross his arms, and straighten up. He remembered the last time Sandy had given him that glare. He looked at Sandy more closely as he started forming images. A tooth, followed by a thumbs up.

Bunny understood him instantly. "You think she's going to be okay?" He asked, a small trickle of nervousness leaking into his voice.

Sandy nodded. A question mark appeared over his head, before he pointed at him. Bunny took a moment before answering. "Yes, but I can't help feeling that this is all my fault." As he spoke he looked behind Sandy towards Tooth. The yetis were trying to restart her heart, but the heart monitor stayed flat. Even more dread started to creep into his heart.

Sandy's golden hands were waving in front of his face. He tore his gaze from Tooth to focus on Sandy. He understood what Sandy was trying to do. Trying to distract him so he wouldn't see what was happening to Tooth. Even with Sandy's effort his whole mind was focused on her. He frowned as an egg appeared over his head, followed by what he assumed was him hiding them. Then it showed the face of a child, who had found one of his eggs. He stared at Sandy puzzled.

Sandy frowned, thinking of a different way to explain what he wanted to say. A picture of an egg, followed by a bunch of symbols. Bunny blinked. "Hope." He said, getting an idea of what Sandy was trying to say. Sandy nodded enthusiastic that he had understood him. He formed more pictures above his head. A flower that seemed to shine with life appeared, a moment later it started to crumble and die. He repeated the same thing with an egg.

He message couldn't have been any clearer to him. _You're losing hope_. His mouth opened slightly in comprehension. He was the Guardian of Hope, what was he doing? If he lost hope, he would be betraying his own center. He nodded, smiling at Sandy. Sandy grinned back, tilting his head to the side.

At that moment a steady beep filled the room. His neck snapped to the side at an astounding speed. On the screen was Tooth's pulse, which meant that she was breathing, that she was alive. He let out a shaky breath. Bunny felt Sandy's small hand on his shoulder. He looked up a smile adorning his face. Sandy motioned towards Tooth. Taking a breath, he got up, his knees wobbling slightly as he walked over towards her.

He acknowledged the yeti that patted him on the back, but his attention was on Tooth. He took in how pale Tooth was, her skin a pale white. It was a drastic comparison to the bright feathers that surrounded her. His eyes traveled down towards where the injury was now neatly stitched up. Green eyes watered slightly in relief.

From the peripheral vision he saw North walking towards his direction. He ignored him and fixed his gaze on Tooth. North shifted from one foot to the other. It was clear North wanted to talk to him. North cleared his throat breaking the awkward silence that had formed. He forced his eyes to leave Tooth to look at North's piercing blue eyes.

"Bunny, about what I said earlier, I want to apologize. I realize that I was harsh with my words." He stopped looking at him expectantly. Bunny inclined his head slightly, indicating that he was paying attention. "I know you're feeling guilty, but it wasn't your fault." North said. Bunny was becoming conscious of the fact that North was testing the water. Trying to figure out what would invoke a response from him.

He lowered his head. "How can it not be my fault? I was the one who told her to go save Sandy. If I hadn-"He was cut off abruptly by North, as he stopped him. This time it was him who fidgeted.

"If you hadn't Sandy wouldn't be alive. You did the correct thing, and either way one of them was going to get hurt. There was no way you would have known what was going to happen." When he raised his head up, he was astounded by the sincerity in his face.

He found himself fumbling with his words. His mind was starting to work through the certain truth North had laid out. He knew in his heart he wasn't to blame, but his mind was battling against it. Dark tendrils were snaking around his mind, making him once more feel the full pressure of the guilt.

"North, I know you'd be feeling the same thing if you were in my spot. I should have known that Pitch wouldn't hesitate to hurt Tooth. I was a fool to think otherwise." The next thing he knew he was inches away from North's face. North's hands were on his shoulders, but this time they were simply on top of them. "You know Tooth wouldn't want you to be blaming yourself. She would never blame you." North words made his ears drop low.

He gave a defeated sigh. "I know."

North shook his head. "You're still blaming yourself." He stated. Bunny glanced quickly at Tooth before staring back at North. He had to make sure she was still breathing. "I know she wouldn't want me to be blaming myself but I still can't help but feel like I could have done something." Bunny explained.

North nodded, before speaking. "At this point there's so many things that we could have done. But the point is we didn't because there was nothing we could have done, and what is done is done." He said. Bunny rubbed his arm. "I don't think the guilt will go away any time soon, but I also know that Tooth wouldn't want me blaming myself." He said. He could almost hear Tooth's voice in his head, castling him. The small chuckle he let out went unnoticed by North.

"We're going to teach him a lesson he'll never forget. Pitch will never dare to mess with us again." Bunny stated. He wasn't going to forgive him for almost killing Tooth. "We also need to get Jack back from the clutches of Pitch. I don't know how we will, but we will."

North drummed his fingers on the surface of a cabinet. "It's true we need to get Jack back. We can't risk Pitch harming him, but I think this discussion is better intended outside." He motioned with his head towards Tooth. Bunny glanced at her. A yeti was on the other side of her, a clipboard in its hand, checking her vitals.

He observed him for a moment, before looking back at North. "Yeah you're right the infirmary isn't the best place to talk." North waved his hand towards Sandy, who had been watching them. "Come on Sandy." He called out. North said something to yeti who had wandered towards him, before walking towards the door. Bunny stole one last glance at Tooth before following him out the door.

He quickly caught up to North and settled besides him. Sandy was at North's other side a moment later. "We know Pitch was aiming for Sandy, but his attempt failed." Bunny decided to break the silence, as they turned a corner.

"We must make sure that Sandy does not get injured. We cannot afford to lose another one of us. The same thing also goes to you Bunny." North advised him. Bunny scuffed. He already knew that, he didn't need North to warn him.

"There's no way I'm letting Pitch do anything to me or any of you guys. I'm already angry." His voice came out heavy. He caught North's surprised look, before he quickly composed himself. Bunny kept his gaze steady, pretending not to notice as they went down a flight of stairs. "Now that he's failed at eliminating Sandy, he's going to try his hardest to destroy Easter. So we have to make sure this is the best Easter ever." Bunny said.

North and Sandy nodded agreeing with him. "As much as this pains me to say, Easter is more important than Christmas. This _time_." North walked ahead of them as they got closer to the globe. Bunny halted in his tracks, his eyes widening. His mouth hung open, for a moment before it snapped shut.

"Did I just hear what I think I did? Did you hear that Sandy?" He exclaimed, jumping up to meet North. North who was staring at globe, glanced down at him. "Just this one time." He said, giving him a knowing look. Bunny flashed him an innocent look, but as soon as he turned around he shot Sandy a grin.

"We only have a couple of hours left." Bunny said, his face turning serious once again. "We have to get moving if we want to give this the best shot. We have to leave right now." He waited as North stared at Sandy, who flashed a thumbs up. North nodded back at him. Bunny didn't hesitate and tapped his foot.

* * *

The ground below them disappeared, and they disappeared. A moment later Bunny was the first one to jump out. North following behind him, with Sandy being the last one to come out. As soon as Bunny stepped out he immediately knew something was off. He brought his hand up, warning the others behind him. They halted in their step as Bunny scanned the area looking for any intruder.

"What is it Bunny?" North whispered. He saw his arm move, and he assumed North was taking out his swords. He inched forward slightly. "There's someone here." He answered, not taking his eyes off the scene that was in front of him. His hands moved automatically towards his weapons. They wrapped around them, gripping them tightly. Bunny cautiously stepped forward. He motioned for them to follow him.

Suddenly something white flashed in front of his face, and the next thing he knew he was on the floor. He felt something crawling up his chest, putting pressure on it. He scrambled away getting up in a hurry. Bunny looked down to see what had attacked him, only to let out a sigh as he saw what it was. As he bent down, North gave out a light chuckle. Bunny smiled lightly as he scooped the eggs up.

He brought them close to his chest, hugging them protectively. North bent down and picked one up. "Weird." He said, as he dangled it upside down, by its feet. "Nah, mate it's adorable." Bunny said as he gently placed them on the floor by a boulder. He squared his shoulders more determined. "Come on, something's really wrong." He said.

Sandy nodded, agreeing with him. Together they started walking towards the tunnel. As he got closer he realized the air was colder. He shivered slightly, but kept walking. As he took a step the grass underneath him crunched, making him look down. The grass was covered in frost. His eyes scrunched in confusion. Why was there frost on the ground? That couldn't be possible.

"Bunny, is that frost?" North asked. He nodded. "Yeah, but I don't know why." He kept walking, adding more speed. As they neared the edge, the air turned freezing, to the point where Bunny could see his own breath. He looked back at North and Sandy who were also shivering. He kept trudging on, until they got to the edge. There was snow on the ground, mixed in with ice that slithered up the walls.

Sandy who hadn't done anything until know, tapped Bunny to get his attention. He looked down at him. A snowflake appeared over his head, followed by a staff. Green eyes looked over at North who had stopped besides him. He shrugged a look of confusion also on his face. Sandy pointed towards the snow, then at the staff that he had formed.

"The snow, and a staff." Bunny mumbled. His eyes widened and his head shot up. "That can't be possible!" He exclaimed. Sandy nodded solemnly. North who still hadn't understood what Sandy had been hinting at asked, "What is it?" Bunny turned to him. He felt his heart tighten in his chest as he forced the words out of his mouth.

"Sandy's saying that this is Jack's power, but that can't be possible, because he's in Pitch's hands, and he would never do this." He said. As the words left his mouth he felt a seed of doubt in his mind. North's eyes widened.

"Jack." North mumbled under his breath. He looked down at the snow, then at Sandy. "It's possible that Pitch forced him to do this." North suggested. Bunny complemented the idea. It was a possibility. The Jack Bunny knew would never do something like this. At least not by his own free will. It couldn't be possible.

"That's a possibility. If it is Jack, then this is our chance to get him back." Bunny said. There was no way Bunny would mess up on this chance. It could be his only chance to fix what he had done wrong. To make things right. "It's our best shot to getting him back, and defeating Pitch." North's tone held an edge to it. Bunny nodded, positioning his arms so they would be able to throw his boomerangs at moment's notice.

"Well, there's no use in waiting. If Pitch is already here, let's give him a warm welcome." Bunny said. With that he jumped from the tunnel out into the open. As he caught sight of his surroundings his arms slacked in surprise. North and Sandy looked around in shock, and horror. His whole lair was trashed.

The ground was covered in several feet of snow. As he looked closer he noticed that there was broken egg shells all over the ground. Some of the egg shells were half buried while other ones were lying on top of the snow. Plants covered in ice. Ice that jagged around the edges. He clutched his chest as he saw the river of colors frozen solid. Completely frozen.

He slouched slightly, until he collapsed on his knees. North put a hand on his shoulder, silently comforting him. He swallowed. Did Pitch really make Jack do all this? His whole lair was ruined. How was he going to bring hope to all the children, like this? Maybe they were looking at this the wrong way? What if Jack had joined Pitch?

Even if Jack was being forced to do this, he wouldn't do it to this extreme. With a snarl he got back up to his feet. "Pitch! Get out here! Bring that little traitor Jack out too!" He heard North gasp. "Bunny what are you doing?" Bunny ignored him and continued to look around trying to find Pitch. He knew he was still in the Warren.

"What am I doing? I just had a thought, what if we have this wrong? Huh! What if Jack joined Pitch? If Jack was kidnapped he would never do this!" Bunny snarled. North and Sandy were looking at him wide-eyed. He narrowed his eyes. His whole lair was destroyed, everything he had worked for.

Everything. Destroyed. And there was only one person responsible for this.

* * *

**Uh, well that turned out different from what I thought it would. Ouch, Bunny's blaming Jack for this! Next chapter, we'll find out if Jack did it, and if he did why. You should have figured it already, though! More reviews and favorites would make my Christmas. I hope you all have a Merry Christmas!**


	8. Incorrect Assumptions

**I'm back, and I'm amazed at how much support I've gotten! To **_**SoaringSparrow1318, **_**I hope your story goes well! The part with Jack and Pitch is what happened after I cut it off in the last chapter. I also wanted to say that my updates might take longer because I have to practice my solos, for band and orchestra.**

**Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

* * *

He had no idea how Pitch managed to break into the Warren. He'd come along willingly, not that he had much of a choice. The only thing Pitch had said was that he was going to blindfold him. As soon as the sand had wrapped around his eyes, he felt Pitch's hand grab his arm. The air shifted and he lost his balance. Another hand grabbed him, steadying him.

He was pushed in front of Pitch, who told him to walk. He kept stumbling, the cast on his leg made him walk with a limp. After a short distance Pitch yanked him back harshly. He yelped as he crashed into Pitch. He immediately stiffened. "I-I'm sorry!" He squeaked out. For a second he was glad he was blindfold, as he couldn't see Pitch's face.

The hand that was on his shoulder tightened until he was arching up in pain. "Do that one more time and you won't be able to walk for a while." Pitch hissed into his ear.

He swallowed, but nodded. A moment later the blindfold came off. He blinked a couple times trying to get used to the new lighting. After a couple of seconds he could see. His blue eyes opened in amazement. He titled his head around looking at all the colors, the grass, and the trees. His eyes couldn't take everything in. There was so much life.

The atmosphere itself was different. It was easy to breath, the air even smelled fresh. The grass underneath him tickled his feet, and he pressed his fingers feeling the blades of the grass. He gazed at the flowers, their vibrant colors made him feel lighter. Almost free. He was no longer surrounded by the shadows that were always wrapped around him.

He was snapped out of his wonder as Pitch smacked him on the back of the head. He recoiled, as his head started pounding. "Pay attention! I can't deal with your stupidity right now. All this you see right now, all of it's going to be destroyed. All of it by you." Pitch said, a snarl on his face.

Pitch suddenly raised his head, a moment later he brought his arms up. Nightmares started appearing all around them, darkness filling the edges of his sight.

He scooted unconsciously towards Pitch. He hated the Nightmares. They always messed with him, either pushing him, or sometimes even biting him. Pitch of course never did anything to stop them, quite the opposite he was amused at their tactics. Pitch motioned for him to come closer. He stopped when he was in front of Pitch.

"Don't leave my side." He told him as he extended his arms.

He nodded, even though he wanted to desperately ask what was going on. Pitch waved his hand, and the Nightmares sprang forward. The lines on his forehead became more prominent as he scrunched his eyes in confusion. What were they doing? His answer became clear as something came out of the bush. His mouth opened in shock. What were those things?

They were egg shaped, a line running around it about one fourth of its way. It was a grayish and green color, with carvings en-laced into its body. As they came out of the trees, their expressions changed. Literally. With a heavy thud their bodies twisted and the happy face they had, changed. It was replaced by a serious one.

He watched uncomfortably as they started fighting. For a moment it looked like the eggs were going to win, but then Pitch snapped his fingers and more Nightmares came out. The eggs were slowly but steadily forced back. He watched until they disappeared from his line of sight. Pitch snorted, before turning his attention back to him.

"Hmm, yes I believe that we have something to do." Pitch said, as he looked around the Warren. "Ugh, so much color, it's so disgusting." A sneer formed on Pitch's lip as he kicked a plant that was next to him. He winced as he stomped on it destroying it completely. "What's with that look? If you think this is bad then you have no idea. When you get done this will look like I pulled a weed out."

He found his body shaking as Pitch simply grinned at him. He felt dread crawl up his spine, and he could no longer look at Pitch's golden eyes anymore. He had no idea how Pitch expected him to freeze the whole lair. There was no way he could do it. He was already tired out from the Nightmare, and it was only a Nightmare. A crunch next to him made him look up. Pitch had taken a step forward.

He resisted the urge to shrink back. Pitch's presence was suffocating, the darkness that _always _surrounded him, was deadly. "Aren't you supposed to be doing something?" The voice asked him with sarcasm. Pitch raised a non-existing eyebrow at him questioningly.

"S-sorry." He apologized immediately.

Pitch merely rolled his eyes at him, before motioning with his arm towards him. He shuffled his feet. How was he going to do this? A trickle of sweat rolled down his neck. His hands were starting to tremble, showing how nervous he was. As he got more worried, the grass underneath him started frost over. A wave of fear crashed into him. He tensed waiting to be hit.

When he didn't get hit he looked up expectantly. After a moment it dawned on him that he wasn't going to get hit. With a shaky breath he tried to let down the barrier he had created. Even when he let it down as much as he could, the grass only turned white as a light dusting of snow covered it. He shrank back slightly at the pathetic sight.

Pitch sighed. "Clearly this is going to take more encouragement than I thought." Pitch made a disappointed sound, before reaching into his robe. He clinched his fists knowing that Pitch had something in store for him. Once he took his hand out of his robe, he froze.

Fear wrapped around him, as he felt his heart sink. Guilt also weaved itself into the fear. In Pitch's fingers was a ball of brightly colored feathers. Baby Tooth. Her eyes were half-way opened, as if she was just waking up. His face turned into one of horror. This was his fault. She was in this position because of him. Why did he screw everything up?

"As you just proved, this fairy means something to you, right?" Pitch asked him.

He nodded weakly. Pitch grinned sadistically, before violently shaking Baby Tooth. He gasped in shock, but didn't do anything. He watched helplessly as Baby Tooth opened her eyes slowly. They were unfocused, and she blinked multiply times before they finally focused. Once they did they immediately focused on him. His blue eyes looked anywhere but at her.

He couldn't stand looking at her when this was all his fault. She let out what he recognized as a cry. He immediately looked up at her. Pitch was curling his fingers tighter around her. Baby Tooth seemed to have noticed that Pitch was holding her and had tried to get out of his grasp.

"Since I'm feeling nice I'll offer you a deal. Freeze the whole lair, and she won't be harmed. Fail to do that and well, I'll just say she's going to suffer the consequences." Pitch warned him.

This time he stared straight at Baby Tooth. She gave him a warm smile, one that reassured him, but she shook her head. His heart twisted as he ignored her. He nodded at Pitch. With more determination he stumbled forward, leaving a trail of ice behind him. He tried to focus more. He needed to be able to do this! If he didn't Baby Tooth would suffer the consequences. He couldn't allow her to get hurt because of him.

Drawling more strength he stretched his hands out in front of him. He bottled as much power as he could before releasing it. The air crackled as ice shot out from his hand. His knees buckled under him, and with a thud he fell to the ground. The shot had taken all the energy out of him. With a strained effort he opened his eyes. His shoulders sagged in defeat. The tree was covered in ice but it was already starting to melt.

He clamped shut his eyes. "I thought her life meant something to you, but I guess I was mistaken. Apparently you don't care for her as much as I thought you did." Pitch taunted him. "Well, you leave me no choice I have to do my part of the deal."

He snapped his head towards him. "No! No. P-Please, I-I can do this with my s-staff." He pleaded. He was taking a huge risk. Pitch could easily take it the wrong way.

"Your staff. Hmm, all right I'll let you use your staff, but one wrong move and I won't hesitate to end your life and hers." Pitch said. He snapped his fingers and a Nightmare sped off.

Out of all the responses Pitch could have given him he didn't expect him to say yes. His mind slowed down as he tried to process what he had just said. He was going to allow him to use his staff? How many years had he spent mourning the loss of his staff?

This was one of the biggest threats that Pitch used against him. If he ever attempted to escape, or if he somehow got out of his grasp he would break his staff, and burn it. That threat still made him shiver in fear.

A minute later the Nightmare appeared with his staff in its mouth. _His staff. _How long had he gone without seeing his staff? Decades. Now that it was finally near him he had no idea how to react. Was he supposed to react a certain way?

Pitch snatched the staff out of the Nightmare's mouth. He twirled it in his free hand, before he stretched his hands out on each side, putting pressure on the staff. His heart wrenched as he watched his staff bend. "It would be so easy to break this stick. One wrong move, even if it looks suspicious and you're dead." Pitch warned him.

He nodded terrified. "O-okay." He rasped out. Without any warning Pitch threw his staff at him. It landed in front of him, clattering as it hit the edge of a rock. For a moment he looked at it with awe. The staff no longer had the frost that usually decorated it. But even with the frost gone the staff looked beautiful. The carvings on it were detailed, and the curve was smooth. With a shaky hand he reached for it. His fingers hovered above it for a moment.

He let out a breath, before grabbing it. As soon as his fingers touched it, frost spread out throughout the whole staff. It glowed white and blue for a second before the colors disappeared. He felt a wave of strength shoot through him. Placing his staff in front of him he slowly made his way back to his feet. He stood steadier now that he had something to lean on.

A glance over his shoulder showed him that Pitch's gaze was still on him. Any wrong move now and it would be the end of Baby Tooth and him. He swallowed, wetting his parched throat. He had only one shot. It had to count.

He pointed his staff at a tree. Ice shot out, coating it completely. The ice hardened, but something about how it looked was wrong. It looked almost dangerous. It had formed in sharp, edged ways.

He looked at his staff confused. He remembered his powers looked different. He glanced over his shoulder at Pitch, whose eyes locked with his. He quickly looked away. Even if his powers looked different, there wasn't anything he could do. He would just have to go with it. Sorrowfully he pointed his staff again at another area, before freezing it. Every time he froze something, his chest would tighten up.

Every plant, tree, and egg was taking away from the children. He felt his throat start burning painfully. He ignored it and kept shooting ice out. If he stopped he knew he wouldn't be able to keep going. Everything around him blurred out until it was only him and his staff. He had to do this to save Baby Tooth. He had too! He had to do something, something right. Even if it was only one thing.

His arms ached, and trembled but he kept his staff straight in front of him. The only thing that kept him going was the raw fear that if he didn't Baby Tooth would suffer the consequences. He had to do this, no matter the price. Even if Bunny decided to get revenge, he would take it if she was safe. His breath was ragged, and his chest burned. He ignored it as much as he could, and kept at it.

His legs no longer fumbled with each other when he turned. His eyesight was blurred. He couldn't go on anymore. His chest felt like it was on fire, and his arms could no longer hold his staff. He let out a gasp, as he tried to breathe. His throat burned, and he could feel his heart beating rapidly. His knees buckled, and he collapsed on the ground.

Coldness wrapped around him, as the snow on the ground indented where he had fallen. The coldness soothed him, and relaxed his muscles. Even as he opened his eyes to see Pitch in front of him he couldn't muster the force to move. The only thing he could do was blink. Even his eyesight was blocked as locks of hair fell onto his forehead.

"Hmm, not bad. I was expecting a little more, but I guess I can't let you have all the fun." The edge of Pitch's mouth curled up. He tried to respond but his lips didn't move. "Well." Pitch cut off suddenly. He snapped his head to the side. "Seems like the Guardians are here. Just in time too." He felt his heart sink.

Pitch glanced down at him. "I need to get rid of you." With a snap his staff was gone, as if it had never been there. He whimpered slightly. "Aww, that was adorable. He has feelings. Now get him out of sight." Pitch snapped. Something wrapped around his body. He didn't have the energy to even tense. Whatever was slithering around him lifted him up.

Now that he was up he could see Baby Tooth. Pitch followed his gaze. "Ah, yes. I'll put her back with the other fairies." He stuffed her into his robe.

He didn't get time to react as the shadows holding him pulled him. He let out a small cry as he was dragged out of sight. He came to a stop by a tree. He watched hopelessly as it wrapped around the tree, effectively binding him to it. He sagged his head. There wasn't anything he could do. He brought a knee up to his chest, letting his forehead rest on it.

A voice rang through the quite lair. The voice sounded angry, sad, but mostly betrayed. He immediately recognized it as Bunny's voice. As his mind processed what he had said he shrunk back into the tree as much as he could. _"Pitch! Get out here! Bring that little traitor Jack out too."_ The words stung, and cut into him. He knew he'd have to face Bunny but now that he was hearing him he didn't know if he could.

He raised his head slowly. If he looked sideways he realized that he could see the Guardians. Sandy, he immediately recognized. The guy next to him he assumed was North, and then Bunny who was standing ahead of them. His face was twisted into a snarl. North gasped. "Bunny what are you doing?" His voice was full of disbelief.

"What am I doing? I just had a thought, what if we have this wrong? Huh! What if Jack joined Pitch? If Jack was kidnapped he would never do this!" Bunny's words made his guilt rise. Almost immediately a question popped into his head. Why did Bunny think Pitch had kidnapped him? Bunny had almost given him to Pitch, hadn't he? But if he was wrong? Maybe it had all been a nightmare? Had Pitch really tricked him all these years?

He let out a gasp. Bunny's ears twitched as it caught the sound. He froze afraid any movement would alert him to his location. Pitch would kill him if the Guardians saw him. Luckily Bunny didn't see him. His attention was taken off of him as Pitch decided to make his entrance.

"Ah, Bunny where's the warm welcoming?" Pitch said, clearly taunting Bunny. Bunny growled, looking around trying to find Pitch.

"Pitch! You little-"Bunny was cut off by Pitch.

"Ah, that's not very Guardian like." He teased. Pitch finally appeared, walking out from behind a tree. Bunny pointed his hand, which was holding his boomerang at Pitch.

"Pitch, where's Jack? I know he did this!" His name sent a fresh wave of fear. He kept using his name. Did that mean that he was in trouble? No, it was obvious that he was in trouble. He had trashed Bunny's lair.

"Jack? Well, there's no denying it now that the cat is out of the bag. Yes, he did this. Let me say he did kind of go wild. He didn't even leave me any room to have fun." Pitch ratted him out. Now that the Guardians knew he had done this, he didn't even want to think what was going to happen to him. He shifted feeling his stomach clench.

He watched Bunny open his mouth to say something else, when North placed a hand on his shoulder. Bunny turned to North. "Bunny, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Pitch is playing with us, and you're falling straight into his hands." North pushed Bunny behind him. North's face was a mask of seriousness and he found himself being reminded of Pitch.

"Me? I'm not messing with anybody's head. I'm only telling the truth. Jack did this, or do you see me shooting out snow?" Pitch asked them. When none of them answered he shrugged. "Believe what you want. The facts are in front of you."

During the time Pitch was talking Sandy had started to look around. He seemed intent on looking for something. His breath hitched once he realized that he was looking for him. He tried to hide behind the shadow of the tree, but he knew that against the white snow he stood out. Sandy turned his head back to Pitch.

He frowned, Pitch must have said something that had angered the Guardians. His attention had been on Sandy, and he hadn't heard what he had said. Whatever Pitch had said must have been serious as Bunny threw his boomerang straight at Pitch. His pupils got bigger, as he watched Pitch dodge the attack easily. He had just attacked Pitch! He couldn't believe it.

Pitch threw a wave of Nightmare's at them. North and Bunny immediately started fighting. Sandy instead flew straight at Pitch. Whips had formed in his hands, and he lashed out at him. Pitch formed a scythe, catching the whip with it. He winced as the scythe was twirled around. The weapon was still fresh in his mind, and seeing it again so early brought back memories. He glanced down at his leg. He grimaced and brought his attention back to the fight.

Sandy was still fighting Pitch, and he couldn't tell who was winning. Both of them were evenly matched. Every time Sandy attacked, Pitch dodged. When Pitch attacked, Sandy blocked. It went back and forth, until he spotted a Nightmare creeping up on Sandy.

His face morphed into one of horror as he realized that it was going to attack Sandy from the back. He bit his lips, debating what to do. As the Nightmare crept closer to Sandy, he opened his mouth. He had made his decision.

"Sandy." He intended to yell, but his voice came out hoarse, and weak. Luckily Bunny heard his soft voice. He turned his head towards Sandy just in time to see the Nightmare lunge at Sandy. He let out a yell and threw his boomerang. The boomerang sliced through the Nightmare just as it opened its jaw. Sandy's eyes widened as he looked behind him. He smiled at Bunny thankfully before turning back to Pitch.

He let out a sigh of relief. His relief however was short lived as Bunny turned his head directly to where he was. His face slackened as Bunny's eyes locked with his. Bunny stumbled back slightly as his angry eyes, were replaced with surprise. More emotions played out across his face. It was almost the same reaction that Baby Tooth had given him. He cringed as he realized that Bunny had spotted him.

Pitch would not be happy.

He looked over at Pitch who Sandy had separated from the rest. He hadn't noticed that Bunny had spotted him. Bunny who was still staring at him, snapped out of his daze. With a shaky step forward, Bunny seemed to gain more confidence. He shook himself before advancing towards him.

His heart pounded against his chest as Bunny got closer to him. What was he going to do to him? Was he going to hurt him? His head sagged down. He could hear Bunny's footsteps now. They got louder and louder until he could hear the footsteps right in front of him. With his head pounding he slowly looked up. Bunny was standing a couple feet away from him.

His face was full of guilt, horror, and anger. For a moment they stared at each other. Neither of them moved, afraid to break the fragile silence. Bunny seemed to be in shock. His eyes seemed to glaze over, as he stared at him. For a moment it looked like the only thing Bunny would do was stand there and stare at him. After a couple of seconds he seemed to snap out of his shock. He flinched as Bunny opened his mouth.

Bunny winced. He watched slightly curious as his ears dropped behind him. His curiosity didn't last long as Bunny scooted nearer. He stopped as he saw him tense even more. Bunny seemed to be debating over something. Finally with a deep breath, Bunny seemingly decided.

"Jack? Is that y-you?" Bunny's voice was soft, and gently. It sounded so different from the voice he had been using mere moments ago. Knowing that if didn't answer he would be punished he nodded.

"Y-yes-s." He stuttered. He curled his leg in even farther. Bunny forced a smile, raising his hands in front of him. He titled his head staring at him confused. What was he doing? Bunny walked slowly until he was directly besides him. He watched him warily, knowing that any moment he would attack him. Bunny seemed to momentary forget about him, as he took his boomerang and started hitting it on the sand. He stared at him dumbfounded.

"Don't worry mate, I'll get you out of here soon." Bunny laid a paw on his shoulder that made him jump. Bunny's face immediately fell. He gave a sigh, and started hitting the sand. For a moment the only thing he could hear was the sand being hit.

"A-are y-you m-m-ad?" He barely managed to ask him. He had to know if he was mad at him, even if he was going to get hurt for asking. Bunny halted for a moment to stare at him puzzled. His face softened, as he shook his head at him.

"Not at you. Look, I know you heard me back there and I want you to know that that was my anger speaking, not me. North was right I was letting Pitch get to me." While Bunny spoke he managed to get the last piece of sand off of him. The tightness around his chest disappeared, and he swung forward dangerously.

Warm arms encircled him, holding him protectively. Bunny placed his arms under his knees and back. He realized that Bunny was holding him in bridal position. _He was holding him._

"Don't worry I have you, I'll take you back to the North Pole. We'll take care of you there." Bunny told him, as he rose to his feet. His mind tried to process what Bunny was telling him. He wanted him to leave?

"I-I can't l-leave. P-pitch has my s-staff." He whispered. He looked up at Bunny desperately hoping he would understand him. Bunny's eyes met his and he looked down.

"We'll get your staff back the important thing is to get you out of here." Bunny said. He nodded numbly. There wasn't anything he could do. Slowly he started to snuggle into his chest. He could hear Bunny's heartbeat against his chest. He scrunched his nose slightly as his fur tickled his nose. Bunny unaware started walking, away from where Pitch and Sandy still fighting.

Both of them looked tired, but kept going at each other. Bunny hid behind a tree waiting until Pitch was distracted before running. He sucked in a breath as his ribs were pressed. Bunny noticed and looked down to see him grimacing in pain. "Sorry." Bunny apologized. Bunny didn't say anything else and looked forward.

He scrunched his forehead as he tried to comprehend why he had apologized to him. He didn't get time to think, as Bunny halted suddenly. He slowly lifted his head from where he had curled into Bunny's chest.

The color drained out of his face as he took in the sight before him.

* * *

**So, who's ready to learn what Bunny's feelings are in the next chapter? He's acting pretty calm for the situation he's in, and that only means that there's an explosion waiting to be set off! I decided that the next chapter will go more in depth to the Guardians feelings, and reactions. Oh, and the part where Jack is freezing the lair, I wanted to show him losing control in a way. Kind of when you do something and you can't stop. As always the reviews, make my day. Maybe comment on whether the Guardians should be able to rescue him or not? Should he stay in Pitch's clutches? Till next time!**


	9. Tug of War

**I'm back! Yeah! I'm so sorry for the incredibly long wait. But the good thing is that I got a good score on my solo! I was excited to write this chapter. I decided to name it Tug of War for a reason so hopefully you'll see it as the chapter goes on. I had already made a decision, but it was interesting to see everybody wanted Jack to be saved. We had one lone person say they wanted Jack to stay with Pitch, so props for being the only one! Well you'll just have to see what happens. **

**To the answer **_**X-AoHime-X**_**, no Jack hasn't had any contact with any of the other Guardians besides Bunny. He's seen Sandy flying around, but he hasn't actually had contact with him. There will probably be other spots were I'll switch the fairies point of view again, so no worries! :)**

**Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

* * *

Stupid.

That was what he was. Stupid. How could he have turned on Jack so easily? He'd automatically assumed the worst. Not once had he stopped to wonder if he was wrong. He had made a wrong decision, and how wrong that decision had come out to be. It hadn't cost him, or any of the other Guardian's, no it had cost Jack. The decision had cost him Jack's _innocence_.

When he had first laid eyes on him his mind couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. He looked nothing like the Jack he had last seen. Everything about him was different. Bunny just couldn't accept that it was Jack. There just wasn't any way that it could be him. _There couldn't be._

Then there was the way he spoke, so afraid, and hesitant, it was nothing like he remembered. Then there had just been the way he looked. Waves of anger bubbled inside him, but he forced his face into a neutral one as he accessed his injuries.

His face was swollen to the point where he was sure he couldn't see from his eye. The red covering the area around his eye made it look even worse with his pale skin. Even from a distance he could see a giant bump on his head that had covered his hair in blood. Bunny knew his nose was broken instantly. It was crooked, and turning a purple color not to mention the large amount of blood that was covering his face. He was sure once the blood was off it wouldn't look as bad.

As his eyes went down he immediately noticed the cast on his leg. He wasn't sure but he thought it looked like it was made out of Pitch's sand. Bunny was sure there were more injuries that weren't visible, but after giving Jack a quick glance over, he knew it was safe to move him. He had too.

Bunny looked down at Jack's quivering form, and knew that he had to get him to safety. He unconsciously curled him tighter against his chest protectively. Bunny then did the only thing he could.

He ran.

His legs propelled him and he sprang forward. Bunny heard Jack suck in a breath. He looked down to see him grimacing in pain. Guilt formed again, as he apologized. Bunny looked up not wanting to see Jack in pain. He ran until he caught sight of something that made him halt in his tracks. He vaguely felt Jack move in his arms but he was too focused on the sight in front of him to look down.

North was standing in the middle of a ball of Nightmares. He kept swinging his swords back and forth trying to eliminate them, but he was being overcome. Nightmares would manage to get past him and would scratch him. His face was twisted into a grimace, and a light layer of sweat was covering his face. North was panting heavily as he tried to shake off a Nightmare that had clamped onto his arm. At that moment North fell, and all the Nightmares rained down on him.

Bunny watched stunned for a moment. He took a small step forward before he remembered that he had Jack in his arms. He looked down at Jack, whose face had morphed into a horrified one. Bunny rocked from one foot to the other trying to decide what to do. Jack looked up at him, his mouth twitching slightly as he seemed to debate over something. Finally he opened his mouth and whispered something.

Bunny leaned down trying to hear what he had said, but instead it only made Jack flinch. Bunny winced, a flash of hurt passed through his eyes. He swallowed back the hurt and forced himself to speak softly.

"What did you say?" Even with his soft and gentle voice Jack clamped his eyes shut. He mentally groaned. That sentence must have sounded so threatening. Jack whimpered, as he shrunk his head into his shoulder. Bunny's heart broke at the sight.

"I-I, you can s-set m-me down. Y-you can help h-him." He stuttered through the whole sentence. Bunny's mouth opened in surprise. Here he was offering himself so he could save North. Even with everything that had happened to him, he was still offering himself. Bunny's heart wrenched at Jack's willingness to help people.

He debated for a split second before he heard North cry out. Bunny shook his head in defeat, before running to the side and placing Jack down gently by a tree.

"Don't worry, I'll be back. Don't move, okay?" Bunny told him. Jack nodded uncertainly.

He looked at Jack for a second before forcing himself to jump into the ball of Nightmares. He immediately started ripping them off of North. After a moment he managed to get all of the Nightmares off of North, who was covered in bruises and scratches. He didn't get time to help North up before he had to shove a Nightmare off that had jumped onto his back. Bunny growled as he destroyed the Nightmare.

"You okay back there?" Bunny asked as he saw North struggling to get up. He chucked his boomerang at a Nightmare who lunged at him. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that North had managed to get up on his feet, but he was still wobbling a bit. He spun kicking a Nightmare who was getting ready to pounce on North's back.

"Seems, like the age is getting to you." Bunny smirked, as he caught his boomerang. He felt North's glare at the back of his head. He didn't have time to turn around to confirm the glare, but North's, "Funny. Very funny," was enough indication. Bunny cracked his neck as a group of Nightmare jumped straight at him. He smirked.

"Time to get even."

* * *

He watched Bunny jump in to help North. A sharp pain in his side made him aware of the pain in his chest. He wrapped his arms around his chest, trying to relive the pain. Bunny putting pressure on his chest had jostled his ribs. Now the pain was present and he didn't want Bunny to hurt him because he had complained about it. That would only result in more pain.

He observed as Bunny defended North until he got up, and together they started fighting. Bunny seemed to have more energy than before, his fighting was more violent, and fierce. He looked lethal, yet every strike was precise. After a couple of moments he forced himself to look over at where Sandy and Pitch were fighting.

He pressed his back against the tree, as he poked his head out. Pitch was still fighting Sandy but both of them were drained out. Pitch still hadn't seemed to have noticed that he was no longer tied to the tree. He fidgeted even more not knowing what to do. He kept glancing back and forth between Bunny, North, and then Sandy and Pitch. Uncertainty was starting to creep up. He knew he was in a vulnerable position.

He had no idea what to do. A part of him knew he should go to Pitch. It would be the most logical thing to do, that way if Pitch punished him it wouldn't be so bad. The other part of him knew that deep inside he should stay with the Guardians, that he would be safe. That and Bunny had told him not to move. He couldn't defy a direct order.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as something landed in front of him. He let out a yelp as he scrambled back slightly. His eyes widened as he took in the Nightmare in front of him. Its nostrils flared as it marched towards him. Its head leaned down making its golden eyes seemingly more menacing. He stared at it frozen in fear. It whined softly lifting its head up.

Without warning it walked closer until it was next to him. He raised his arm instinctively just as the Nightmare bared its teeth before opening it mouth. He shielded his face as the Nightmare bit down. He let out a cry of pain as its teeth pierced his skin on his arm. He tried to pull his arm away from its mouth but the Nightmare held onto him with an iron grip.

The Nightmare pulled his arm as it started to fly towards Pitch. He dug his foot into the ground but the Nightmare simply pulled a little harder, and he lurched forward. He felt his ribs, and leg protest as he was suddenly hauled up. He clawed at the Nightmare desperately. The horse whined in annoyance and bit down harder. He scrunched his eyes in pain, and hung his head down in submission.

He looked up from underneath his bangs before his eyes darted over to Bunny. Only a couple of Nightmares were left and with both of the Guardians they were quickly eliminated. His blue eyes started to fill with despair as he silently begged for Bunny to look up. As if he had heard him Bunny lifted his head as he finished destroying the Nightmare. Bunny said something to North before looking over to where he had been a couple of seconds ago.

Bunny's eyes widened, and he took a step back in shock. His head went from one side to the other looking for him. His eyes finally landed on him, and without any hesitation he threw his boomerang. For a moment he thought Bunny was attacking him but the thought vanished when the boomerang angled up. A second later the Nightmare disappeared above him.

The pressure on his arm vanished, and he was falling.

He stuck his arms out in a desperate attempt to break his fall. His hands hit the ground first, followed by his knees. His face bounced off his elbow, sending shots of pain from his nose. The pain was forgotten as his leg hit the snow. Even though it was cushioned by the snow his leg exploded in pain. He let out a cry and clenched his eyes. His hands balled into fists as he cried out.

The pain overclouded his senses, and the only thing he could concentrate on was the sharp shooting pain from his leg. He tried to hold back a scream, it only made it worse if he screamed. Instead a small whimper escaped his lips. He tensed expecting to get hit. He couldn't hear or see anything around him. The only thing he knew was pain. When he didn't feel any blows he managed to crack one eye open.

The world was a blur of colors, and with his ears ringing he had no idea what was going on. A shaky hand went around his ribs trying to calm the pain. He let out short pants trying to ease the pain. Without thinking the hand that was on his ribs suddenly tingled as his power shot out. He didn't even have to time to freak out about getting in trouble. The pain immediately reduced to a throb, and he let out a gasp.

His eyes opened dazzled from the pain he had been experiencing moments ago. His mouth opened in an attempt to draw in air. Once his lungs were full of air he slowly uncurled himself. The snow on the ground helped him cool his arm. He turned his back touching the ground. He blinked trying to clear his eyesight. Slowly things started to clear up enough for him to see properly.

Bunny had stopped several feet away from him with North now standing next to him. His eyebrows were knitted together, and a scowl was adorning his face. He gulped suddenly taking in how dangerous he looked. His piercing blue eyes weren't staring at him but he could see the intense look in them. His giant arms were holding swords that were pointing towards his direction. He stared at the sword captivated by its dangerous gleam.

It wasn't until he heard a chilling voice that sounded furious did he snap out of his trance. He knew who it was immediately. His head snapped to the side at an astounding speed. Pitch was hunched over panting but after a moment he composed himself, and stood tall. His eyes locked with Pitch's, and he flinched at how much raw anger, and hate there was in them. His lips were in a tight line as he stared back at him. Pitch lowered his head, and the shadows flickered around his face making him look even more deadly.

He tried not to think about what was going to happen to him once they got back to the lair. He was going to get the punishment of his life. Pitch never looked this mad only in the beginning when he had put up resistance, and was rebellious. That first year had been the worst he still had _scars_ from what Pitch had done to him, and right now he had a feeling that he was going to get more scars.

That was if Pitch didn't finally kill him. He knew that there was still a chance that one day Pitch would kill him. Somehow he knew that Pitch wasn't going to kill him, he knew he was going to punish him. Pitch was going to make him suffer before doing anything else. He swallowed before raising himself so he was sitting up. Now that he was sitting up he realized that he was directly in the middle.

Sandy had floated over at some point and was now next to Bunny. His eyes unlike Bunny's and North's, were looking straight at him. For a second he almost looked away, but something in Sandy's eyes stopped him. They were so full of love, kindness, and courage that he found himself being pulled into them. He felt himself relax slightly, and he wasn't afraid of Sandy. Something inside him told him he could trust him.

Sandy gave him a small smile before looking behind him. He swallowed, and nervously titled his head slightly to the side. Pitch was looking back at the Guardians but as soon as he noticed that he was staring at him his attention focused on him. He felt his arms tremble as the mere sight of Pitch glaring at him was enough for him to start hyperventilating. He raised his shoulders slightly as he lowered his head. Pitch smirked as he quickly glanced at the Guardian's.

"Jack!" He instinctively flinched. Not his name again. "Get up, and get over here." Pitch's tone was steel, and his words were sharp and cold.

He nodded, and tried to get up but his arms wouldn't support him. He had almost managed to get up when Bunny's voice cut through the silence.

"Jack, don't do it!"

He turned his head toward him. Bunny had taken a step forward, and his hand was stretched out. The other Guardians were staring at the scene with a serious expression. He stopped. Bunny had just given him a direct order he couldn't disobey. But Pitch had given him an order too, so what was he supposed to do? Who was he supposed to follow?

He froze staring uncertainly between Bunny and Pitch. Pitch growled, and snapped his fingers making him jump. "Jack, get up now!" Without second hesitations he brought himself to his feet. He swayed dangerously but managed to stay up.

"Now be a good boy, and come over here." Pitch said as he gave Bunny a glare. Bunny's eyes narrowed as he stared back at Pitch. His lip curled up in disgust as he stared at Pitch.

He started to walk towards Pitch when Bunny once again made him stop. He halted, and turned around.

"Jack, listen to me. I know you're scared but you have to believe in me okay? You just have to have faith. We'll protect you, I promise you you'll be safe." Bunny's voice was confident, and steady as he spoke. But what caught his attention was what he said. Why was he telling him he would protect him? Why would he want to protect him? He wasn't worth being protected, so why was he telling him to believe in him?

Pitch's laugh filled the air. His cackle sounded like nails being scratched against a chalkboard. It sent shivers down his back. Even when Pitch stopped laughing there was a huge grin on his face. Pitch looked at him, and Bunny. He shivered, and scooted back unconsciously. Pitch shook his head in disbelief.

"You think you can protect him? From me? Oh you make me laugh. There's no way you can protect him from me, I'll _always_ find him. He knows it'll only be worse for him. There's no way to escape from me. It's useless to promise something that you can't do. You've already failed in protecting him, do you really want to fail twice?" Every word was covered in venom that Pitch successfully struck with precision.

"You're a coward Pitch! You take pride in beating somebody who can't fight back. That doesn't make you any stronger. You gain nothing! It only shows how weak you are preying on an innocent person. Or are too afraid to fight somebody who can beat you?" Bunny lashed out his voice rising until he was yelling.

He couldn't believe that Bunny had actually talked back to Pitch. Wasn't he afraid of what would happen to him? Of what Pitch could do to him? Pitch's face turned into a scowl and he turned to him. His eyes held barely contained rage as he forced a smile.

"You think this thing can beat _me_? I stomp all over him, and he doesn't say anything. The only thing he does is weep, and beg for me to stop." Pitch sneered. Almost immediately the Guardian's faces dropped. Bunny's eyes widened in horror as he took in Pitch's words.

"Pitch you've dropped low. How can you be so cruel? He's just a kid." North for the first time spoke. His voice held a sadness that was noticeable. His blue eyes studied Pitch trying to seek an answer he knew he wasn't going to get.

"I don't think that really matters. All I know is that I have to get going so if you'll excuse me I need to leave." Pitch mocked them by raising a finger, and pointing at him to come towards him. He lowered his head and started to limp towards Pitch.

"Jack don't you _dare_ do it!" He froze again his mind only processing the word _dare_. He remembered the last time Pitch had dared him to do something. He let out a shaky breath once again looking between Pitch and Bunny. Bunny's eyes were pleading him to turn around and walk towards him. To a certain point he felt compelled to do the same thing but then he remembered Pitch was a couple of feet away and if he disobeyed him he was dead.

He felt his head spinning as he tried to think of what to do. He focused his eyes on the ground instead feeling everybody's eyes on him. He couldn't think clearly. Everything was starting to blend together. He started to feel lightheaded as he heard more voices talking to him at once.

"Jack you know what will happen to you if y-."

"Jack trust me. I'll protect y-."

It was too much for him to take in at once, and he clutched his head. What was he supposed to do? Both of them were telling him to go with them, and he knew there were going to be consequences if he didn't listen to one of them. If he went with Pitch, Bunny would punish him because he had told not to. If he went with Bunny then Pitch would break and burn his staff and then punish him. He had a feeling that if he went with Pitch it would bring him less harm.

He looked up at Bunny apologetically. He mouthed to Bunny that he was sorry before turning around. He didn't have to look back to see Bunny's fallen face. His destroyed expression. He took a shaky step forward. The snow crunched under his foot breaking the silence that had fallen over them. He could tell Pitch was watching him, a confident smirk adorning his face.

"Sandy now!" The yell scared him, and by Pitch's surprised face he could tell that it had startled him too. He didn't have time to react as something wrapped around him and pulled him. He let out a small yelp as he flew backwards. He dangled in the air for a second before he was brought down.

He found himself in front of Sandy. He squirmed inside the sand trying to back away from him. Sandy placed his hands in front of him trying to calm him down. His ribs flared in pain as Sandy's sand squeezed his chest. He let out a hiss as the pain went down his side. Sandy's eyes immediately widened and the sand around his chest loosened. The pain lessened but he still wheezed in pain. Sandy placed him down gently before turning around and lashing out with a whip to block Pitch off.

He heard Pitch yell something and the next thing he knew he was in excruciating pain. He writhed in agony on the floor. His scream was piercing as he clutched his leg. He only knew pain. It was unbearable, and his lips opened as he let out another scream. The sound that tore from his throat was animalistic. Tears stung at his eyes, and he let them fall freely as he clenched his eyes tight.

His throat burned but the scream kept coming out as he dug his fingernails into his hand. He felt something warm drip down his hand and fall onto his leg. He didn't have to look down to know it was blood. Eventually his scream faded, and instead his mouth opened in a silent cry. The pressure vanished all together and what was preventing his bone from moving was gone. The pain didn't stop, and he let out another agonized sob.

Something warm and furry was placed on his forehead. His head was moved and placed on top of something soft. He could hear soft murmurs being whispered into his ear. The voice sounded so comforting and eventually he relaxed slightly. His sobs slowly turned into whimpers, and moans. He didn't know how long he was in severe pain until the pain slowly eased. The pain was still there but his senses were slowly returning to him. He could hear noises all around him.

"Jack?" He let out a whimper. Somebody was saying his name again. He was in trouble, and he couldn't imagine going through any more pain.

"Jack? Come one mate, open your eyes." The accent sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

It wasn't until somebody placed their finger on his eye to pull his eyelids open did he react. He opened his eyes to see something grey in front of him. He cried out and tried to get his face away from the strange object.

"Bunny, you're scaring him!" The loud voice made him flinch and he panicked even more. Blurs of red and yellow filled his vision. He felt a firm hand being placed on his shoulder to prevent him from getting up. He almost shook the hand off before he realized what he was about to do. He immediately stopped struggling, and stayed still. The hand was slowly lifted off of his shoulder.

"North talk softer your loud voice just gave him a heart attack!"

While Bunny talked, he focused on trying to clear his vision. The blurs eventually started to clear and form figures. He could see North talking to Bunny, who he realized had his head on his lap. He swallowed and tried not to tremble. A movement from his side made him jerk his head towards Sandy. Sandy smiled and waved. He stared back at him dumbfounded.

Was he waving at him? What was he supposed to do? He watched Sandy's face fall, but he quickly covered it up with a small grin. Sandy floated over until he was next to North. He looked around anxiously trying to figure out where Pitch was.

Bunny looked down and saw him looking around. "Don't worry about him, he's gone. We managed to drive him off. I told you, you'd be safe with me. You just had to trust me. Which I know you may not now, but we have to get you out of here. You need urgent medical attention." Bunny spoke gently but urgently. "Now we have to move you, but first Sandy wants to secure your leg okay?"

"Okay." His throat was raw from screaming, and he winced.

His eyes quickly flickered over to Sandy. He watched him warily, but he didn't have a choice. Bunny nodded at Sandy, who approached him cautiously until he was next to his leg. He watched Sandy's hands hover over his leg. He tensed but did nothing as the sand started to wrap around his leg. He waited for the pain to start, but when it didn't he looked at Bunny confused.

He watched Bunny's ears drop at his confused stare. "He only wrapped it around your leg. When we get to North's place we'll properly cast it. I'm going to have to move you around, I'm sorry if it agitates your ribs." Bunny said as he nodded towards North.

North nodded before moving towards him. He jerked his foot out of pure instinct as North bent down to grab him. Realizing what he had done he lowered his head down, and stretched his leg back out. He was going to get hit. Why had he done that? He hesitantly looked up to see that North had backed away.

Bunny looked at the other Guardians questioningly. He watched them agree over something. What? He had no idea. Bunny cleared his throat. The noise made him look up at him, before something gold flashed before his eyes. His head dropped to the side as his eyelids drooped. Suddenly he felt so tired. He fought the urge to keep his eyes open. Just as he succumbed to the darkness, he swore he felt somebody brushing the hair out of his face. He also swore he heard somebody speak.

"I'll protect you."

* * *

**I'm done! Did I scare any of you for a moment? Did you guys think I was cruel enough to let him stay with Pitch? Well anyways I'm incredibly sorry for the long wait. In between doing a long paper for school, getting a fever, and practicing for my solos, I did not have time to update this. I had originally planned to post this chapter on my birthday but it still wasn't ready so I had to wait. Maybe a review as a late present? Anyway for those who secretly wanted Jack to stay with Pitch, don't worry there will be plenty of that later. There will be opportunities for angst later on. Well, until then! **


	10. Haunting Mistakes

** It was funny to see that many people freaked out about the last chapter. I worked hard these past weeks to get the chapter done, and after the long wait I decided you guys deserved it. I tried my hardest not to make it a bit sad but I make no promises!**

** Answers to reviews: About the length of the story I'm not sure how long it's going to be but it'll be more than fifteen for sure. No, he doesn't have the collar on him, Pitch took it off at the beginning of chapter 7. The Nightmare will come into play later, but we'll see what happens with Jack being controlling it. He might, he might not. :)**

** Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

* * *

With the help of Sandy's dream sand they were able to transport Jack to safety. While North helped Sandy, Bunny went around his lair trying to salvage any eggs that weren't broken or damaged. He managed to save a handful of eggs. He tucked them carefully in his bag before leaving with the other Guardians.

The trip to North's place was quite as everybody wallowed in their thoughts. Bunny who was sitting next to Jack sighed. Sandy looked up from where he was seated. A snowflake and a question mark popped up. Bunny glanced down at Jack who was sleeping peacefully. His face was relaxed without any worry.

"The most important thing is to keep him out of Pitch's grasp. We can't let Pitch get his hands on him again. He's already done enough damage." Bunny said as he brushed Jack's hair out of his forehead.

North turned around from where he was guiding the sleigh. "Is Jack okay back there?" He asked.

Bunny nodded. "Yeah, but if you could go any faster it wouldn't hurt." He watched North nod before digging out a snow globe from his pocket, and throwing it. Bunny held onto Jack as they passed through the vortex. He started to tap his foot impatiently as they landed. As soon as they were secured he immediately jumped up. Sandy had already gone into action and was lifting Jack up with his sand. He jumped off the sleigh as Sandy went ahead and entered the pole.

North threw the reins at a yeti before running to catch up with them. Bunny a felt a déjà vu feeling as he ran towards the infirmary again. Only a while back they had been in the same position. The only difference was that Jack was not in danger of dying. He was hurt, yes but he wasn't on his death bed.

They barged into the infirmary making the yetis that were inside jump up. They relaxed as they saw it was them. There relaxation didn't last as North yelled something out Bunny didn't understand. The yetis however turned towards Sandy who was placing Jack on the bed. They spoke urgently before they split up. A couple of them went towards the cabinets to get supplies while two of them went to Jack. Bunny was once again pushed to the side.

He brushed it off and walked towards North who was observing the yetis. Sandy touched Jack's shoulder gently before he walked away. He made his way towards them weaving around the yetis who were huddling around Jack. Once he reached them Sandy forced a smile. When he realized it wasn't having any effect he let out a silent sigh. He stared at them both before pointing at North. A medical kit appeared over his head.

"I'm fine. Do not fret." North waved them off.

Bunny rolled his eyes before grabbing North's arm. North let out a small yelp as Bunny dragged him towards a bed. He shoved him, making him stumble back and land on the edge of the mattress. He ignored his accusing glare.

"Sandy's right. You need medical care." After a moment Bunny couldn't resist and added. "After all you are old." North snapped his head up to glare at him.

North opened his mouth to retaliate but Sandy beat him. Sandy who had been observing Bunny remark shook his head before dumping alcohol on one of the cuts on North's arm. North let a cry as he shook his arm around.

"Sandy!" North yelled as he cradled his arm.

Sandy simply shrugged his shoulders and made an innocent face at North's accusing one. He grabbed a towel and dumped more alcohol on it. Sandy ignored North and grabbed his arm again. North scowled softly but let Sandy wipe all the small cuts. Bunny smirked every time he saw North wince. After a couple of minutes Sandy was done. A few cuts required bandages but most of them weren't deep.

Bunny's attention transferred from North to Jack. The yetis had wiped all the blood off of his face. As Bunny had predicted he looked a little better, but the bruising all around his nose stood out against his pale skin. The yetis had fixed his nose and had placed it back into place. Bunny walked over to examine Jack closer.

He watched one yeti grab a pair of scissors and place it at the bottom of his sweater. With a quick clip they advanced all the way up until the sweater was cut in half. He made a mental note to get him a new sweater. As soon as they took away the sweater he wished they hadn't. He turned his head away for a moment as he tried to maintain his cool. He couldn't afford to do anything reckless. When he looked back the yeti was placing the sweater to the side.

Jack's bare chest was visible to everybody. The yetis quieted down at the sight. North and Sandy who had just joined him stopped and stared. Bunny for once was glad Tooth wasn't there. He couldn't imagine her reaction.

Jack's chest was an ugly mix of purples and blues. The marks stretched all around his chest almost as if it was embracing him. On one side of his chest the bruising was more evident. As Bunny observed the area more closely he realized that there was lumps under his skin that looked unnatural. Bunny was left wondering if he had any broken ribs. The yetis had apparently been thinking the same thing as they turned around to North.

"The yetis say they believe he has a couple of broken ribs." North translated. Bunny and Sandy nodded. "Yetis say they will take x-rays to be sure."

Bunny groaned slightly at the possibility of waiting. They took a seat while the yetis started to clean Jack's arm and bandage it. Once they were done they carefully transferred Jack to the stretcher before taking him away. Bunny watched helplessly as they carried him away. North let out a sigh as he rubbed his face.

"I can't believe Pitch could be so cruel. How could he have done that to Jack?" North asked as he looked up at them. Bunny swallowed, he knew one of them would eventually bring this topic up.

"The bigger question is if we really let Pitch get away with all this? Could he really have been abusing Jack all this time? How did _I _let him take him?" Bunny whispered the last part. He lowered his head not wanting to meet the other Guardian's eyes.

He felt a small hand on his shoulder. He knew it was Sandy but he still didn't look up. He was too caught up in his thoughts. He had let this happen to Jack. What kind of Guardian was he? He might as well have given him to Pitch. Now that they had finally got him back he didn't know if they could help him. What if he stayed like that _forever_? All of it would be his fault.

"Bunny! Don't do this to yourself. I can already see you taking the blame. It just wasn't just you it was all of us. I could have reached out towards him sooner. I could have helped him but I didn't." North's face slowly crumbled into one of guiltiness. For a moment Bunny wondered if that was how he looked. Was his guilt that obvious?

Sandy nodded. Multiple symbols appeared and it took him a moment to understand him. Sandy had been Jack multiple times while he gave out dreams. He had never approached him he only greeted him. He was also guilty. Bunny shook his head. They didn't _understand_.

"But you guys weren't there. If I would have paid attention to him, if for _once _I would have listened none of this would have happened. I could have stopped this. He wouldn't have to be going through this right now. He would still be the happy, and mischievous Jack we knew!" His voice had risen to a yell. North's eyes widened slightly at his outburst.

"Maybe you're right, but that doesn't matter right now. We can play the blame game when this is all over, but right now we need to focus on helping Jack. If this was your fault even though it's all of ours then we need to fix it. We have to help Jack and see that he recovers. He'll never be the same but we'll help him the best we can. We'll help Jack until he can smile again." North had gotten closer until he was directly in front of his face. His voice was stern and his eyes were piercing.

He felt his eyes widen at his words. He knew that North had some truth in his words but he could still feel the sting of failure. For now he would try to do what North had said. He was going to help Jack. He was going to make sure that he would be able to smile. He was going to make Pitch _pay_ for what he had done.

Hesitantly he nodded. North eyed him warily almost as if he knew what he was thinking before nodding. They stayed quite for a long time, each of them drowning in their thoughts. Eventually the only sound in the room was their breathing. It wasn't until the yeti's opened the door did they all snap out of their thoughts. Bunny jumped and turned around. The yetis were coming through the door with Jack on the stretcher.

His leg now had a cast on it and his brown pants were gone. He had a pair of pants that were the same brown color his original pants had been. One side was cut off and ended slightly above the cast. He watched the yetis transfer Jack from the stretcher to the bed. Jack's head was placed carefully on the pillow. His chest had a loose dark blue shirt, an exact match to the blue his sweater was. Bunny titled his head slightly as a thought popped into his head.

"So how did they get the cast on so quickly?" Bunny asked North. North grinned secretly.

"Special procedure, yetis figured out faster way." North explained as he turned towards a yeti. He exchanged a couple of words with the yeti before turning back to them.

"Yeti says that he has a fractured rib and another broken one. His leg however is broken, and with the trauma it suffered from Pitch he is lucky he had no serious damage. That leg needs to be taken care, we have to make sure it doesn't receive any more damage."

"There's one more thing. The yetis said they found an injury on his neck. They say it's from a collar." North explained.

Bunny frowned not understanding. "A collar?" Why would he have a collar on?

North shook his head. "A training collar. It's a collar with spikes on the inside. There used to train animals."

Understanding dawned on Bunny. He felt himself shake in fury. How dare Pitch do that to Jack?! Humiliating him like that. Treating him like he was nothing but an animal. He took a couple breaths in to calm himself. He had to focus.

He felt his insides boil as he remembered how Jack had been squirming on the ground in pain. The scream he had let out. It was so full of pain, and it sent chills up his back thinking about it. Still he pushed it back and focused.

"When do you think he'll wake up?" He asked.

"The sand will wear off in a half hour or so." North answered softly. He walked over to Jack who the yetis had just finished placing the IV into. Bunny followed behind him with Sandy next to him. Together they surrounded his bed.

"What are we going to do when he wakes up? Is one of us going to stay in here or are we going to leave him alone?" Bunny asked as remembered Jack's terrified expression when they had approached him.

Sandy made an image of Pitch then him sneaking in and grabbing a snowflake.

"Sandy's right we can't afford to leave him alone with Pitch still out there." North said as he looked down at Jack's peaceful face.

Bunny nodded. "So then who's going to stay here? He freaked out with all of us."

They looked at each other questioningly. North's big figure and loud voice would give him a panic attack. Jack thought Bunny was going to hurt him. He guessed it was natural for him to think that since he had frozen his Warren but still the thought of him hurting Jack pained him. There was only one Guardian who they knew could stay with Jack. North and Bunny turned to Sandy at the same time.

"I guess that means that you'll-"

Bunny was cut off as a yeti entered the room, the door slamming into the wall behind him. His face was full of panic as it looked around trying to find them. When he's eyes finally landed on them he said something that he didn't understand but by its urgent tone he guessed the news was grave. North pushed past them as he walked up to the yeti. He responded in an equally panicked tone. By then Bunny was also alarmed. He and Sandy glanced at each other both of them confused.

Was Pitch attacking them? Had something happened?

North finally seemed to remember that they were behind him and turned around. "We will leave yeti with Jack. We have to go."

Both his and Sandy's eyes widened. He tried to wrap his mind around what North had just said. He had just agreed with Sandy a few moments ago that leaving Jack alone was dangerous. Why would he suddenly tell them to leave him?

"W-wait you're telling me that you want us to leave him alone after you just told us how dangerous it is? What could have possibly happened?" He sputtered, but quickly recovered.

North let out a sigh as he rubbed his eyes. "Trust me I wouldn't leave Jack at this moment if it wasn't important. Please come outside I don't want to disturb Jack." North's tone sounded tired and Bunny decided to trust him and nodded. They followed him outside the room after making sure that the yeti would come to them if anything happened. They immediately turned their attention to North.

North looked at each of them before looking away. His expression turned sorrowful, and Bunny could feel the dread creeping in. What was happening? Finally after a moment North let out a deep breath and looked up.

His tone was heavy and sad. "Tooth's in a coma."

* * *

_ He was standing in the middle of his lake. His staff was in his hand as he called out to the wind. It answered immediately and swirled around him ruffling his hair affectingly. He let out a soft laugh and smiled fondly._

_ "All right, all right. I get it." He waved the wind off as it tickled his face but there was a teasing tone to his words. "How about some snow?"_

_The wind danced around him excitedly. "All take that as a yes?" He brought his staff up and with a small swirl snow starting falling around him. The snow was thick and steady. He hummed appreciatively and sat down. He let out a content sigh before laying down, his back touching the frozen lake. His blue eyes observed the snow falling down gently. There was something soothing and peaceful about watching the snow fall._

_ His eyes soon started to close and his breathing became even. The snow landing on him didn't bother him in the least. It was actually the opposite it comforted him. He had almost succumbed to the darkness when something echoed in the back of his mind. It was so faint that for a moment he wondered if he had imagined it. He shrugged and brought his arms behind his head. He had just closed his eyes when he heard it again this time louder._

"_**We ha-prot-Ja-k."**_

_The words were choppy and made no sense to him but he was sure he had heard it. He stood up suddenly alert. He was sure he had heard something. The wind howled around him sensing his discomfort. He clutched his staff more tightly as he got up. He had to find out what that sound was. The snow came down heavier obscuring his vision. The wind brought it down more fiercely. It didn't bother him as he took a careful step forward._

_**"Whe-yo-he'-wak-p."**_

_The words were broken up but they sounded louder. He titled his head as he spotted something ahead of him. By now the snow was falling so thickly he could barely see in front of him. His eyelashes were full of snow that had landed on them. The closer he got the clearer and louder the voices got._

_**"Can't-aff-to-lea-im-alo-wi-Pi."**_

_The snow clashed around him as he neared the object. The wind was screeching around him as he stopped. Did he really want to get near that? The voices were coming from that direction, he was sure of it. He swallowed a lump in his throat and made up his mind. He was going to find out what it was. He let out a breath and shook his head. His muscles tensed ready for anything. As he got closer the more the wind picked up, and it suddenly looked like a blizzard._

_He wasn't afraid of the wind, he was its friend, and it wouldn't hurt him. He brought his hand up to block the snow from his face. He had to get there. He realized that he was now starting to see blurs from the corner of his eyes and for a moment he thought it was because of the snow but then it dawned on him that it was because he was approaching it._

_Once he reached it he stretched his hand but he stopped in front of it. What would happen if he touched it? His fingers hesitated and curled back into themselves. Would something bad happen if he touched it? It was calling out to him and he knew he had to touch it. The energy emitting from it was luring him in. Drawing him in. Without second hesitations he reached out for it. The light wrapped all around him and he was gone._

A light gasp escaped his lips. His whole body felt fuzzy and comfortable? His eyes felt heavy as he tried to open them. Once he managed to get a tiny crack open he tried to look around. Where was he? Blurs of colors assaulted his vision. He blinked trying to get rid of the fuzziness.

The first thing he saw was a light blue painted ceiling. He stared at it confused. Since when did Pitch have painted ceilings? _He didn't. _With a bit of effort he rolled his head to the side and froze. Pitch most definitely did not have an infirmary. His mind raced as he tried to remember what had happened. How did he end up here? Where was _here?_

He had been at the Warren and then the Guardians had appeared. He had been tied to a tree but then Bunny had seen him. Bunny! He remembered being in his lap. He had told him that he was going to be taken away and then he had blacked out? Had the Guardians taken him? What was going to happen to him?

He moved his arm only to feel pain. He looked down and gasped lightly. He was in different clothes and he was clean. He glanced at his arm and realized that there was a needle inside his arm. He tried to bend his arm but let out a hiss when it hurt. His other arm was also wrapped in a clean crisp bandage that was covering the area where the Nightmare had bit him. Using his other arm he fiddled with his shirt.

It was thin and let the coldness seep in. He forced himself to stop messing with his shirt and moved down to his cast. Pitch's sand was gone and a real cast seemed to be on his leg. He poked at it curiously and found that it was firm and solid. He swallowed, only to frown when something scratched his throat. His hand flew up to his neck.

He let out a silent sigh when he realized that it was a bandage. He pulled it nervously trying to get rid of the itchiness. He was still pulling on it when he heard a noise. His head shot up and he turned. When he was what standing there he gasped. Standing a couple of feet away from him was a _yeti? _He stared at the creature for a moment before it gasped.

He jumped back in fright as it started to speak. He didn't understand what it was saying, and he watched him anxiously. He didn't want to anger it because he couldn't understand him. He cringed when it took a step forward. The yeti stopped and said something else. Seeing his confused look the yeti made some signs. After a second he figured it meant that it wanted him stay in bed. He nodded hesitatingly but it was enough for the yeti. It raised a finger before hurrying out the door.

Once the door closed behind him he let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Now that the yeti was gone he moved slowly back onto the bed. He had gotten up in fright when the yeti had entered but now his arm was trembling and he eased himself back into the pillow. He figured he would enjoy the bed while it lasted. He knew it was going to be taken away from him any moment now. He wondered why they hadn't just let him bleed out. Why had they taken care of him?

He didn't understand their reasons for taking care of him. Was going to happen to him? Did they want something from him? What could they expect from him? He wasn't good at anything. He almost missed the footsteps that were coming towards him as he thought about what could happen to him. He looked up as his eyes widened and the floor rumbled. Loud voices drifted through the door and he swallowed.

The voices got louder until they were directly outside the door. He watched dreadfully as the door opened. As it swung open he hid his eyes underneath his bangs. His body language changed immediately as he watched several people come inside. They all shuffled inside as the yeti left closing the door behind them. An awkward silence fell over them as they all stopped inside.

They all stared at him and he found himself twitching his fingers nervously. Was he supposed to do something? Did they want him to bow or kneel down on the ground like sometimes Pitch made him do? He licked his chap lips as he mulled over the ideas. Maybe that's what they were waiting for? With a soft breath he rose from the pillows with a bit of effort. Next he moved his legs slightly as he tried to swing them over the edge.

"No!" A loud shout came from both North and Bunny.

He jumped and immediately moved back. He looked up at them afraid. Sandy had an alarmed face, as the X that was over his head disappeared. He swallowed as he mentally hit himself. He hadn't even spent more than a couple of minutes with them and he had already made them angry. Couldn't he do anything right? Out of instinct he immediately opened his mouth to apologize.

"S-sorry." He looked up nervously at their faces. They had all calmed down as a look passed between them.

"It is alright we shouldn't have yelled but with your condition we can't have you moving around. You might injure yourself more." North explained his voice was considerably softer.

His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. They didn't want him to get hurt? As if sensing his confusion Sandy made a picture of a child then a first aid kit followed by a heart. His eyes widened as he realized that he didn't understand him. He tried to control his trembles as he looked at Sandy nervously. Bunny however noticed his confusion.

"He's saying that we're going to take care of you." Bunny took a small step forward as he spoke.

He nodded but he was dying to ask him why. Why did they want to take care of him? Weren't they going to punish him? He was so perplexed about everything.

"How are you feeling? Are you in any pain?" Bunny asked him as he approached him cautiously.

He looked down at himself and missed as Bunny took another step towards him. Now that Bunny mentioned it he didn't feel any pain. When was the last time he wasn't in pain? He was always in pain whether it was a bruise or a more serious injury, he was always hurt.

"I'm fine." He answered quietly. He was afraid any moment they were going to change their mind and attack him.

"That's good. Do you remember what happened?" Bunny asked him again. Bunny looked back at the other Guardians who nodded before he continued. "What's the last thing you remember?"

He fiddled with his shirt again. Why were they asking him so many questions? What if he said something wrong?

"I was on t-the floor and I-I was in pain. Y-you said you w-were going to t-take me somewhere. That's a-all I remember." He responded timidly. His throat burned from saying so much. He tried to stiffly a cough but it made his throat burn even more. Soon his whole body was shaking as he coughed. He felt somebody's hand on his shoulder steadying him. When he stopped coughing he felt somebody push something into his hand.

When he looked up he saw North holding a cup of water towards him. He stared at the cup questioningly. North nodded as he smiled, and wrapped his large fingers around his own small thin fingers to steady the cup which was shaking violently. He gently raised the cup to his lips and took a small sip. The cold water soothed his throat and calmed the aching. He took another small sip before he remembered what he was doing. With a defeated expression he forced himself to lower the cup.

North frowned. "Are you sure you don't want more?"

This time he frowned. "I-I can h-have m-more?" As soon as he asked he slapped his hand over his mouth. He looked up at North's suddenly intimidating figure.

"Yes you can drink the whole cup if you want to." Bunny answered him. He looked at Bunny warily. Was he messing with him? He remembered the last time Pitch had said something like that to him. It had all been a twisted lie and he had ended up paying for it. Bunny sensed his distrust and bit his lip.

"Drink a little more your throat must hurt." Bunny said gently.

He took it as a command and lifted the cup. He took another sip and closed his eyes as he relished it. He missed the Guardians sad look as he took another drink until the cup was empty. Once it was empty he placed it down on his lap. An uncomfortable silence fell over them as he tried his best to not do anything that could anger them.

He made sure he looked as small and submissive as possible as he felt his gazes on him. Bunny's was the most piercing as he analyzed him. His green eyes held a deep sadness and guilt as they made eye contact. Almost immediately he looked away remembering the couple of times he had stared at Pitch's eyes to long. His eyes flickered over to him again as Bunny let out a soft sigh.

"Jack I wanted to say that I'm sorry that I didn't believe you when you yelled at the lake. I-I was so stupid, I was so mad at the thought of Easter being ruined that I didn't give it a second thought when you yelled. I know I could have made the difference. If it wasn't for me you wouldn't be in this situation." As Bunny spoke he looked up from his lap to stare at him.

He blinked in shock at what he was saying. He was apologizing to him?

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything."

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**Well that's it. For some reason I didn't really like the ending. What do you guys think about the ending? I'm so shocked at how much my comments rose since the last two chapters! Wow, you guys are amazing! You guys encourage me to upload the chapters faster, and you guys all know I should work on that!:) **


	11. Sinister Plan

**I'm so close to reaching 200 reviews! I never imagined I would reach 100, and now I'm so close to 200. I want to thank you guys for all the support. I decided to change things up a bit and add a different point of view. Time to find out what the villain is thinking?**

**Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

* * *

He stared at Bunny even after he had gotten up muttering something about fixing Easter. He flinched at the mention of Easter but Bunny didn't notice as he walked towards the door. The only one who noticed his reaction was Sandy who had looked back at him. Sandy stared at him for a moment before looking back towards Bunny.

North had a sad face as he stared at Bunny. His eyes were drawn together and with the small frown North looked almost disappointed. His mouth twitched and for a second he thought North was going to say something but then he shook his head.

He watched Bunny walk out the room and disappear as the door closed behind him. Just as the door closed he swore he saw Bunny's eyes watering. He shook it off, blaming it on the lighting. There wasn't any way that Bunny would cry over something like apologizing. When the door shut he was left with an uncomfortable silence. Sandy and North were still staring at the door. Their eyes were focused and he didn't dare move in case they got mad.

He found his eyes looking away from them and focusing on his arm. He poked the needle that was in his arm. He couldn't see it over the tape that was placed over it. He eyed the bag that had a clear liquid in it warily. What was in the bag? What if it was poison or something? Was that why they were so calm? Because they knew he was going to die soon? He shuddered as he started to think about how painful it would be. Was he going to die slowly and in agony?

"Jack." A loud voice made him jump up.

Oh no. He had caught him dozing off. He froze as he started to breathe faster. He remembered the last time he had been caught dozing off. What had he been thinking? He was always supposed to be ready for an order, he was never supposed to be lacking off. He forced himself to look up at North. He expected him to be towering over him ready to hit him. What he didn't expect was for North to be in the same exact spot with a concerned face.

"Y-yes?" He asked meekly. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest but he didn't feel the pain that came with the broken ribs. Instead the only thing he could feel was his heart as it started to beat faster.

"Are you okay? You suddenly spaced out." North asked him.

"Uh." The word came out before he could stop but as soon as it came out he clamped his hand over his mouth. He looked up at North remembering when Pitch had slapped him. He knew this time it would hurt more considering North's hand size. He would be lucky if he didn't end up dislocating his jaw. That was if he just stopped at that.

North stared at him for a moment observing his reaction. His gaze went over to Sandy who was also watching him. North swallowed clearly thinking about something. He took a deep breath before speaking.

"Does that mean you're okay?" North asked him softly.

"Yes." He answered quickly. The last time he had been asked that and he had answered that he wasn't okay he had ended up being more than just not okay. After that experience he always lied to Pitch. It had been drilled into his head that it didn't matter if he was okay or not. His personal health wasn't important. Nobody cared, he had said.

He watched North carefully making sure not to make eye-contact with him. After a moment North nodded.

"We don't want to leave you alone here with Pitch still out there so-"

He flinched visibly at Pitch's name. He suddenly remembered how Pitch had crushed his leg with his sand. The agony that he had felt as he had withered on the ground. He had wanted it to end so badly, he had wanted to sink into the darkness, and never wake up. And that was only because he had let himself get taken. He didn't want to imagine what was going to happen to him once Pitch had him again.

He started to breathe heavily as he remembered all the threats that Pitch had made. All the things he said he would do. He clamped his eyes shut as he tried to block out all the images that were popping into his head. It was only making everything worse. His chest tightened and he couldn't get enough oxygen.

One image that was clear and vivid was Pitch breaking his staff. His chest rose up and down faster as he imagined Pitch burning his staff. He felt his eyes burn as tears appeared. He couldn't imagine what it would feel like if he broke his staff. Would he die if he ended up burning it? His staff was a part of him, and if it was destroyed he had no idea if he would live.

He flinched as somebody placed a hand on his shoulder. Out of instinct he jerked away letting out a cry. He could already see Pitch standing there ready to beat him until he was unconscious. His eyes flew open as he looked at Pitch.

He froze as he finally came around his senses. Pitch wasn't standing there ready to grab him, it was _Sandy_ who still had his hand where he had moved away from him. He blinked trying to get the blurriness out of his watering eyes. What had he just done? He had freaked out thinking it was Pitch when it was somebody else. If they weren't mad before they were now.

He sputtered out an apology immediately. "I-I'm sorry!"

He looked back and forth between North and Sandy. He could tell that he was about to get hit. How could he not? He felt his lip start to tremble and he bit down on it to prevent it from shaking. He looked down and tried one last thing.

"Please, d-don't h-hurt me." He pleaded. His voice sounded alarmed and terrified.

Maybe they would go easy on him because he had begged? Sometimes Pitch just wanted to see him beg. But what if they did the opposite? What if they hurt him more? Pitch _sometimes _went easier on him because he cried and begged, and sometimes he did the opposite. He watched the Guardians terrified of their reactions.

North raised his hands in front of him as he took a step backwards. Sandy followed suit and put his hands behind him and took a step back. Sandy's face was full of concern that seemed to radiate from him. His eyes snapped back towards North who started to speak.

"Jack I want you to know that we would never hurt you. You don't have to apologize, I shouldn't have mentioned _his _name. I didn't think about it and I'm sorry that it brought back memories." North spoke softly and slowly.

He stared at him with his mouth wide open. His mind was trying to work through everything he had just said. North had just told him that he would never hurt him. He couldn't wrap his mind around that thought. How could he not hurt him? Pitch told him that he was meant to be hurt. That the only thing he was good at was being hurt.

North told him that he didn't need to apologize. Why would he not if he had done something wrong? Were North's rules different than his master's? Was that why he had apologized to him? He couldn't understand why everybody kept apologizing to him. Pitch had _never _apologized to him. Even with all the doubt he found himself nodding towards North.

"I wanted to know who you want to stay with." North said. "I know that you don't feel comfortable with any of us but we can't leave you alone."

He blinked trying to get over the fact that he had just been given a choice. When was the last time he had been given the ability to choose something? Now that it was given to him he didn't know who to choose. He swallowed and looked between North and Sandy. North's big voice and figure scared him. He didn't understand Sandy, and he didn't want to anger him. His sand also scared him, it reminded him to much of Pitch's. He opened his mouth slightly still afraid to speak.

"C-can I-I have B-Bunny-y here?" As the words left his mouth he almost gasped in shock. Out of all the Guardians Bunny would be the one with the most reasons to want to hurt him. Why would he want Bunny with him? Was it because at least he would know why he would want to hurt him? Or maybe so he wouldn't have to keep being afraid of him taking revenge?

North looked over at Sandy who had raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Ah, yes. I'll go get him. Sandy will stay with you for a minute." With that North nodded towards him and left.

He looked over at Sandy who was looking at him. He watched Sandy form symbols. A snowflake appeared followed by a medical kit, and finally a bed. He stared at him confused.

"I'm s-sorry I-I don't un-understand." He said his voice cracking a bit.

Sandy smiled throwing him completely off. He shrugged his shoulders and a plus sign appeared over his head. Again he stared at him. Sandy's face scrunched up as he concentrated. He seemed to be mulling over something. Sandy ended up letting out a silent laugh. He stared at Sandy totally bewildered. At that moment the door opened and Bunny stepped through with North following behind him

As soon as he saw Bunny he swallowed. He was standing tall but there was a scowl on his face. He shrank back at his face. North noticed and elbowed him. Bunny gave him a glare. Suddenly he was left wondering if he had made a mistake choosing Bunny. Either way it was too late to do anything now. Bunny was here and there wasn't anything he could say. North leaned over and whispered something in Bunny's ear. Whatever he said caused Bunny to look at him.

His green eyes were observing him, and whatever he found made them widen in surprise. Immediately Bunny closed his eyes and shook his head. He muttered something back to North. North nodded sympathetically before saying something back.

By now he was worried, and terrified of what they were saying. He looked away for a moment to try and calm down but his gaze was drawn towards Bunny again. Bunny was now staring at him, North and Sandy were walking towards the door. Both of them stopped by the door. North smiled at him, his tough intimidating look disappear.

"Take care Jack. We'll be right here if you need us okay?" North asked.

Out of habit he nodded. With a nod back they left leaving him alone with Bunny. His eyes flickered back and forth trying not to look at Bunny too much. Now that he was standing alone he took in how rigid and tense his posture was. He realized that he was holding a paintbrush in his hand and an egg in the other. He stared at the egg for a moment captivated by the beautiful designs that had been painted on it. He never realized that he had been staring at it for a while until Bunny spoke.

"Like it?" He jumped and looked up at Bunny. An apology bubbled out of him by instinct.

"I-I'm sorry."

* * *

Bunny watched as Jack apologized again. He blinked in surprise as he tried to work out why he had apologized. He watched Jack's eyes flicker down to the egg he was holding in his hand. Taking a risk he slowly made his way to the chair that was next to the bed. Bunny watched Jack tense and his eyes widened in fear. His chest ached as Jack cowered and raised his arm up when he reached for the chair. For a moment he froze in shock before he snapped out of it and pulled the chair back until there was space in between them.

He sat down and made sure that he looked as nonthreatening as possible. Jack slowly lowered his arm down. To his surprise he apologized again.

"I-I-I'm sorry."

This time Bunny had to ask him. "Why are you apologizing?"

Jack froze and looked at him. He seemed to debate over something before he responded. He muttered it so softly that Bunny had to lean forward slightly to hear him.

"I-I'm not supposed t-to prot-ect myself. Pitch doesn't l-like it. Makes it worse."

Bunny closed his eyes for a moment to swallow down the fury he felt. Pitch made Jack not be able to defend himself? He couldn't imagine what it felt like to be getting hit and not being able to do anything to defend himself. He couldn't imagine the humiliation it must have brought Jack. It must have made him feel so weak, and defenseless.

Bunny nodded and looked at Jack. "It's alright. You didn't do anything wrong. You were just curious." He didn't miss Jack's face of surprise at his words. His eyes looked up at him almost hopefully. It broke Bunny's heart to see Jack get so happy about a simple comment. He raised the egg he had in his hand and slowly stretched it out towards Jack.

"Here take a closer look." He encouraged.

Jack stared at the egg in his hand before slowly reaching out to take it. His cold hands brushed his own as he grabbed the egg. Bunny leaned back and watched him hold it like it was the frailest thing in the world. For a moment it looked like the only thing he was going to do was stare at it but then he slowly turned it around and ran a delicate finger over it. As he traced the complex design on it Jack's face softened.

Bunny smiled slightly. Jack underneath everything was still a child. He leaned back into the chair and observed him. Jack suddenly gasped, the egg slipping from his fingers and falling. His lip quivered and he looked up at Bunny with large fearful eyes. He watched his eyes start to water before he cowered. Bunny immediately looked over Jack trying to figure out what had happened.

Was he in pain? Did he somehow get hurt? Had the yetis missed something? He frantically looked over him expecting blood to spilling out of somewhere or a bone sticking out. When he didn't find anything he slowly rose from his chair and crouched over Jack carefully. Jack was starting to breathe faster and his mouth was open as he took sharp breaths. Bunny swallowed before placing his hand under his chin.

Jack immediately reacted. He let out a whimper as he locked eyes with Bunny. His eyes were so full of fear. Bunny titled his head up a bit. Jack instantly tensed. He decided to approach him like a scared animal.

"Are you in pain?" Jack shook his head.

"Did you hurt yourself?" Another shake.

"Did something happen?" This time he nodded.

"What happened?" He pressed gently not wanting to scare him.

Jack let out another whimper. "I-I, there's-s fr-fr-ost. I froze t-the egg." His voice trembled through the whole sentence. Bunny let out a breath he had been holding. He felt relief flood in. He had been so scared that it had been something serious and dangerous.

Bunny gently rubbed his thumb against Jack's cheek trying to calm him down. Jack tensed and stared at him confused. Bunny tried to reassure him with his eyes. He tried to show all the kindness, and love he could. At first Jack seemed to be doubting himself but as he glanced at him again Bunny saw all his walls crumble. He leaned forward desperately trying to soak in the touch. Bunny stared at him in shock, amazed at his reaction.

How starved of contact was he? Feeling braver scooted forward until there was only a small space between them. Hesitantly he wrapped his other arm around him until he was halfway hugging him. Jack tensed and a muffled whimper came from him. Bunny tried his best to ignore his trembling and instead rubbed circles on his back. After a moment Jack seemed to relax a bit more. His head sagged against his chest for a moment before it shot back up.

"I-I'm sorry! I-I didn't me-mean to l-lean on y-you!" He stuttered.

"Shhh. It's all right, I don't mind. Don't worry about the egg. I'll make another one." Bunny said. He slowly uncurled his arm from Jack but kept his hand on his cheek. The egg itself wasn't frozen there were just little swirls of ice encircling it. The ice complemented the design making it even more beautiful. "Here you can keep the egg. It's beautiful." He took his hand away as he reached for the egg. He froze when Jack let out what sounded like a whine.

Bunny looked down at him. Jack clamped his hand over his mouth as his eyes widened in alarm. Bunny smiled trying to reassure him. When Jack started to sputter out apologizes and his breathing became erratic Bunny grabbed the egg and placed it in his hand. He curled Jack's fingers around the egg before giving his hand a light squeeze. Bunny backed away trying to give him more space. He ended up sitting in the chair.

Jack stared at the egg for a moment before looking up at him. His face was full of surprise and disbelief. His eyebrows scrunched together as he seemed to think over something. After a moment he whispered, "Thank you."

Bunny smiled. "Do you want to help me paint the remaining ones?" He asked him taking out another egg.

His blue eyes widened in shock. Jack opened his mouth only to shut harshly. His teeth snapped together and Bunny winced. Bunny nodded indicating him speak. For a moment Jack hesitated before opening his mouth.

"Yes, b-but I-I don't-t kn-know how t-to paint." His voice was full of panic that was clearly visible.

Jack looked like he was expecting a blow at any moment. He kept fidgeting and his whole body was tense. Bunny nodded and handed him a brush and an egg. Jack flinched expecting to get hit until he saw what he was holding out.

"Don't worry. I'll teach you." Bunny said. He watched Jack blink trying to process what he had said. His face showed so much confusion that Bunny was left wondering if he had ever had a good experience. Jack nodded, but the shaking in his hands said otherwise.

"Okay so here, watch me. Follow me." Slowly he demonstrated what he had to do. Jack watched him intensely, his eyes observing everything he did. His eyes never left his hands as he showed him through the process. When he was done explaining he encouraged him to try. "It's your turn now try the best you can. It doesn't have to be perfect."

Even with the reassuring words Jack still looked terrified. His hands trembled to the point where Bunny didn't know how he could hold the paintbrush without dropping it. He watched him, giving him tips here and there. Every time he spoke Jack tensed and started to tremble. Even when he reassured him that he was doing fine Jack still seemed to doubt him. Bunny watched Jack slowly start painting it. At first it didn't look like anything and Bunny had to hold back a chuckle. It would only scare him more.

He observed him for a while more before taking out an egg himself. He leaned back into the chair and crossed his legs. With a deep breath he concentrated on the egg. He was so caught up in his work he almost missed the soft snore that echoed through the room.

Bunny looked up startled before a smile broke out across his face. On the bed was Jack his head rolled to the side on the pillow. His lips were open and a light snore was coming from him. His forehead was free of any creases and his eyes were peaceful. In his hand was the brush with the finished egg in his lap.

Bunny chuckled lightly as he got up from the chair. He tucked the egg he had finished into his pocket. He approached Jack slowly afraid to wake him up. Once he reached Jack he grabbed the paintbrush from him and tucked it away. Once he caught sight of the egg he gasped. Bunny picked up the egg cradling it carefully afraid to break it. In the light he could see the elegant swirls that decorated the whole egg. Strokes of white, blue, and silver all decorated the shell. Where one color ended the other started.

Bunny smiled as he realized that it looked like winter. He admired it for a moment longer before placing it back in his lap.

"I'll take care of you. I swear it. Even if it's the last thing that I do." He whispered. Bunny brushed Jack's hair out of his forehead. Even in his sleep Jack twitched slightly trying to get rid of the danger, but Bunny didn't stop he kept rubbing his cheek. After a while he slowly leaned into the touch rubbing his face against his hand. Bunny for once didn't mind the contract.

He stayed like that for a while until the door opened. Bunny whirled around tensing before he realized that it was North. North opened his mouth but Bunny beat him to it.

"Shhh!" He shushed him. North whispered out an apology before he walked in. He stopped besides Bunny. His eyes flickered down towards Jack before turning towards him.

"How is he?" North asked him. Bunny glanced at him.

Bunny rubbed his eyes. "He's so terrified of everything. When I went to grab the chair he freaked out and raised his arms. Then he just started apologizing. When I asked why he was apologizing he said that Pitch doesn't like it when he defends himself. Can you imagine what kind of trauma he's been through?"

North's eyes dulled slightly. "I can't even begin to imagine the horrors he's been through. I honestly don't know if we can help him."

Bunny looked up at him in shock. His mind tried to say something back but his mind came out blank.

North let out a soft sigh. "Sandy and I have been discussing about what to do. Now that Tooth is out of this fight, and we have Jack to protect, well we're going to have to maximize the security. Sandy and I agreed that it would be easier to have Tooth and Jack in one room. That way there not that far apart. What do you think?"

Bunny thought about it for a moment. It would be easier to have them together, but it would also be easier for Pitch to harm Tooth if he tried to get Jack back. "Well, it would easier but if Pitch decides to show up then he could harm Tooth." He responded.

North nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. I think this has only one solution. We need to defeat Pitch. The sooner we get rid of him the faster we can help Tooth and Jack."

Bunny immediately nodded. "Yes, the sooner we defeat him the faster this will all be over. This time we're going to attack him."

"Pitch is going to pay for what he's done. _I'll make sure of it_." His eyes darkened at the last part.

* * *

A frown etched itself on his face for a moment as he stared at the globe. The bright yellow lights flickered but otherwise remained stable. Pitch scowled and turned around facing away from the globe. His light footsteps barely made any noise as he walked down the hallway. He stretched his hand out and grazed the wall. His sharp fingernails scraped the wall making a screeching sound that echoed through the lair.

While he had a slight delay his plan was still in motion. A little minor problem that was nothing but an annoyance. Jack should have never been seen, much less taken. What made him even angrier was that he had been taken right under his nose. He was sure he had him, all he had needed was a little threat and Jack had come crawling back to them. But then Sandy had to step in and ruin everything. He sneered at his name.

He should have eliminated him but Tooth had to get in the way. Sandy would have been dead if it wasn't for her. A chuckle escaped his lips as he thought about the Tooth Fairy bleeding out. Her head dangling as he held her by the neck slowly squeezing the life out of her. At least he had one less Guardian to worry about. She wouldn't be getting in the way anymore. The only thing he had to worry about now was getting Jack back.

He paused by a door thinking about his next move. Suddenly a twisted smile broke out on his face as he pushed open the door. As he walked into the room the door behind him closed slowly creaking the whole way. With his head held high he walked towards the item in the middle of the room. There being held by the shadows was Jack's staff. As he approached it he clicked his tongue.

There was going to be a slight change to his plan. Now he had a better plan. Yes, he had the perfect plan. He stared at Jack's staff. The staff looked pitiful and weak as he picked it up. This simple stick would be the downfall of the Guardians. Pitch let out a small chuckle that quickly escalated until he was letting out full blown laughs.

"How does it feel Guardians to know that a simple stick will be your downfall? The person that you're protecting with your life will be what defeats you!" He threw his head back and let out a sinister cackle.

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**Woah! Another chapter, and early! So I'm curious to hear what you guys thought about Pitch's, evilness? What do you guys think his plan is? I have a plan in mind but any suggestions are welcomed! **


	12. Unfolding

**Err I know I said that I would update soon and then I didn't update for a while. I'm sorry! I received several interesting ideas though, and I wanted to thank anyone who left an idea. Hopefully I'll update soon.**

**Answers to comments: Guest, well I did that done that on purpose. Since Pitch never says his name I kind of wanted to show that he never really thinks about his name. He only associates his name with negative things, so Jack thinks his name is in a way, a bad thing. I was aware that I was doing it. I slowly intended to start adding his name, and change things up. I do apologize if it sounds kind of boring, I never really thought about it that way. I'll slowly start mixing things up a bit.**

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Sandy waited patiently outside. North had gone inside a couple of minutes ago. They had agreed that only one of them should go inside in case Jack was awake. They didn't want to scare him. He crossed his arms over his chest as he waited for one of the two to come outside. Finally after another minute the door opened. Sandy looked up meeting North's eyes. North beckoned to him with his head. He nodded and made his way towards him.

North held the door open for him as he passed through. Sandy thanked him as he walked towards Bunny who was sitting on the chair. He laid his hand on his shoulder making Bunny look up at him. He smiled gently at him. Sandy returned the smile and asked him about Jack. Bunny's smile became thinner and forced. His shoulders sagged a bit and he looked away from him. Sandy could see the sadness swirling behind his eyes.

"He's asleep right now. He's too scared so I think the best thing is to move him while he's asleep. That way he won't freak out." Bunny's eyes flickered up towards him.

Sandy nodded. He made a couple of symbols that took Bunny a second to figure out. How were they going to move Jack?

"North said he was going to get a couple of yetis to put Jack on a stretcher to wheel him to Tooth's room." Bunny informed him. As if to make his point the door opened. North walked in with three yetis trailed behind him.

"The yetis are ready." North said as he motioned for the yetis to proceed. The yetis waved at him and Sandy waved back giving them a warm smile. Bunny gave a tense wave. Sandy looked at him for a moment before glancing over at Jack.

His face looked so peaceful and for a moment Jack looked so delicate. As if a simple touch would break him apart. He looked like so much like a child and Sandy knew it was because he _was _a child. There was no denying how young his face looked. And that didn't even include how frightened and mistrustful he was. Adding that in Jack was exactly a child.

Holding up a finger Sandy walked to Jack's side. Everybody watched him as he raised his hand over Jack's hand and let his sand fall on his head. A soft sigh left Jack's mouth and he snuggled slightly into the pillows. Sandy smiled and moved back. With a combined efforts the yetis slowly moved Jack to the stretcher. After they moved the IV and stretched Jack out carefully, the yetis started pushing him towards the door.

Sandy walked behind them, not waiting for Bunny to get up. He knew that he would be behind him. North held the door open again as the yeti passed by. Sandy nodded while Bunny thanked him verbally. The yetis walked slowly careful to avoid harming him. Thankfully he was out like a rock thanks to Sandy, and the trip to Tooth's room went smooth. The whole time Sandy observed the other two Guardians, making sure they didn't notice.

North's face showed every bit his age. Sandy could see all the worry in his face. It was etched into the lines that appeared in his forehead when he frowned. Sandy's eyes flickered over to Bunny. Guilt seemed to roll off of him in waves. His shoulders were slumped and his head was down. Bunny's eyes kept flickering back and forth from the floor to Jack.

But what caught Sandy's attention were his eyes. They were so full of sorrow, despair but mostly guilt. It flooded and swirled inside Bunny's green eyes. He could tell it was consuming him. Eating him from the inside out.

As much as he wanted to help Bunny, Sandy knew that his guilt would never disappear. It didn't matter what he said to Bunny, it would always be on his conscious. Even if Jack recovered Bunny would always hold himself responsible for what had happened. Sandy knew it would weigh on everybody's mind. It had been their mistake, and now they were paying the consequences.

Sandy was shaken out of his thoughts as everybody came to a halt. He realized that they were outside Tooth's room. With a shake of their heads the yetis opened the door before pushing Jack in. As they stepped inside Sandy could hear all the noises the machines were making. His eyes were drawn in to Tooth who was in the middle of the room.

Sandy's eyes saddened as he stared at her. With all the machines and wires connected to her she looked even more fragile and small. Tooth was paler than when he had last seen her. Her feathers now lacked the vibrant color and instead looked dull and lifeless. Sandy knew Tooth would be horrified when she woke up and saw herself. That wasn't even including Jack.

North and Sandy had discussed Tooth's possible reaction when she woke up. North had been worried that Tooth would scare Jack, knowing that she would get all motherly. It was humorous to him considering the fact that North scared Jack. Sandy had managed to explain that Tooth would be too weak to hover over Jack and freak out about all the injuries he had.

But now that they were getting Jack all set up Sandy desperately wanted Tooth to wake up, and go all motherly on all of them. Instead Tooth remained still, something that was unnatural on her, considering the fact that she was always moving. As they finished Sandy forced himself to look away and concentrate on what needed to be done. On what they were going to do.

He tapped both of the Guardians on the shoulders. Both of them were staring at Jack who was now next to Tooth. A curtain that could be pushed forward was the only thing separating them. Both of them looked down at him. Sandy gave them a knowing look. Bunny blinked before looking down at Sandy.

"Yeah?" Bunny asked.

Sandy rolled his eyes. He formed various images and waited until Bunny figured out what he had said. After a moment Bunny nodded.

"You're right standing here isn't going to fix anything. We have to go stop Pitch." He said. North nodded agreeing with him.

"We will leave note to Jack explaining where we are. Hopefully we'll be back before he wakes up but just in case." North walked towards Jack in his hand was a sticky note with handwriting all over it. He stuck it gently on Jack's hand. "There we should be good now. We will have extra security just in case."

Both of them nodded. Sandy gave them one more glance before following North, who was walking towards the door. Bunny closed the door behind him. He seemed to be more awake than he had been in a while.

"We have to go prove Pitch wrong. We have to make sure that the children don't stop believing in us. That means we have to make sure the kids don't stop believing in Easter. Come on we have to go fix Easter."

* * *

Soft beeps were the first thing he heard. It was a steady beep that almost threatened to lure him back into the darkness. Into the darkness. _Darkness. _That word alone scared him. He had been in the dark for too long. The darkness was the only thing he always had. It was the only solid thing he _always _had.

But at the same time he didn't want the darkness. It reminded him of what happened when he was in the dark. All the pain, the tears, all the _loneliness. _All of that come back to him in the darkness. He could say that he was afraid of the dark, because he was. He never knew when Pitch could come out and attack him. He would never know. If there was one thing he was good at it was keeping him in the dark.

With difficulty he managed to open his eyes. Everything was blurry and fuzzy. After a moment everything started to clear up. The ceiling he was staring at started to become clearer. After a closer inspection he realized that it looked different. Was he in a different room? When had he fallen asleep? He was had been painting an, an egg! He had finished it but then his eyes had gotten so heavy. Even with all the desperate attempts to keep his eyes open they had closed on him.

He had fallen asleep. No. That meant that he had fallen asleep on Bunny. Now he was in for it. How could he have disrespected him like that? He had fallen asleep on him, and that was the ultimate disrespect. Would Bunny do the same thing Pitch had done to him once when he had fallen asleep on him? He was in for a world for pain. The spirit shivered and looked down.

He had been right he was in a different room. It was smaller and unlike the last room this one didn't have empty beds. It was then that he heard the steady beeps again.

_Beep._

_Beep._

Hesitantly he turned his head sideways. Next to him was a bed surrounded by machines but that wasn't what caught his eye. No, what caught his eye was the body that was on the bed. Even with all the machines hooked up to her he had a slight idea of who it was. Pitch had told him that he had managed to hit Tooth. Could that be her?

He stared at her for a while longer. She looked so sick and weak. He tore his eyes away from her and faced forward again. Now that he was stuck to the bed there wasn't anything he could do. He looked down at himself. He could see his cast clearly, a light blue that he liked. He stretched his hand out to touch it when he noticed that there was something on his hand. Confused he took it off and brought it closer.

_We left to help Bunny. We will be back soon. Don't worry we only moved you to Tooth's room. Oh, and there's some food next to you, help yourself to whatever you want. - North_

He read the note over a couple of times to make sure he had read it correctly. When the letters didn't change he put the note down. Slowly he turned a bit to see if there was indeed food. When he had shifted enough he craned his neck. To his surprise there _was _a plate full of cookies. Now he could smell the delicious aroma from the cookies. How could he have missed it?

He stared at the plate that was on top of the cabinet warily. Was it a trap? Would the Guardians come out and tell him it was all a joke? Would they hurt him if he ate one? He didn't want to admit it but he was _hungry. _His stomach growled and twisted inside him. Maybe they wouldn't notice if he ate one?

He stretched out his fingers brushing a cookie. Hesitantly he curled his fingers around it. He stayed still for a moment still debating whether he should take it. He closed his eyes before pulling back before he could change his mind. He looked down at the cookie he had grabbed. It looked so appetizing and he had to resist the urge to shove the whole thing in his mouth. With a trembling hand he slowly bit down.

Flavor instantly flooded his mouth. He couldn't remember the last time he had tasted flavor. While he didn't need to eat as much to survive somehow Pitch made sure that he was starving. The stale bread had no taste and he ate it without much thought. He practically devoured the cookie, only to start choking. He bolted up from the pillows and started coughing.

He tried to stifle his coughs but they bubbled out of him. He bent over coughing viciously. His whole body was shaking and his throat burned. He was still coughing when a hand touched him. He jumped and looked up. Through teary eyes he saw a blurry figure in front of him. Even though he was still coughing he managed to back away from him.

The blurry figure in front of him opened his mouth. A bunch of noises reached his ears and it took him a while to realize that it was a yeti. The yeti said something else before leaving. He placed his hand on his chest as he tried to breathe. At that moment the door opened and the yeti entered holding a glass of water. It walked towards him and held the cup out.

He stared at the cup for a moment before realizing that the yeti wanted him to grab it. Nervously he stretched his arm out. His fingers curled around the cup. The water inside it sloshed around as his hand trembled. When he stopped the cup at his lips the yeti motioned for him to drink. Cautiously he took a sip and relished the coolness as it soothed his throat.

From the corner of his eye he saw the yeti keep motioning for him to drink. With a bit more confidence he took another drink. Then another, and another until the whole cup was empty. The whole time he kept watching the yeti to see if it would get angry. He slowly lowered the cup and looked at the yeti from his bangs.

The yeti said something else before stretching his hand out slowly towards the cup. Even with his slow movement he still flinched. The yeti grimaced and smiled at him reassuringly. Jack blinked but managed to stretch his arm out and hand over the cup. The yeti nodded towards him and started to back away but not before motioning towards the plate of cookies.

The boy froze. He was going to tell him something about why he ate the cookie. He was going to get in trouble. He swallowed. Instead the yeti walked over and picked up the plate. For a moment he thought he was going to take away the plate but instead the yeti handed it to him. He glanced at him surprised but thanked him anyways. The yeti smiled at him again and this time he felt the corner of his mouth twitch up for a moment.

It was enough for the yeti and its smile grew wider. The door closed behind him and the room was once again quite. He stared at the plate that was in his lap curiously. A variety of cookies were stacked and he grabbed one fearfully. As he started biting on it his fear was replaced with hunger. He ate it almost as quickly as the last one but he remembered to chew before swallowing. With a quick glance around the room he grabbed another one and shoved it in his mouth.

A couple of minutes later and half the plate was gone. No matter how many he ate the delicious taste still surprised him. With the back of his hand he wiped the crumbs off his face. His stomach was full not used to having so much food. Now that he had been sitting up for a while his back was starting to ache. He was surprised that he hadn't felt his ribs considering the fact that he was putting strain on them.

He shifted and got comfortable. With all the pillows he felt like he was on a cloud. Even being on a bed was a huge thing. Sleeping on a straw bed was even more uncomfortable than when he used to sleep in trees. He sighed softly and leaned back until he was looking at the ceiling. After a couple of minutes his eyelids were starting to close on him.

_Beep_

_ Bee-_

_ Be-_

* * *

Suddenly he shot up clutching his chest. His breathing increased, and soon his head was spinning. It felt like he was going to faint. Something was wrong. He could feel it, and it had woken him up. After a couple of seconds the sensation started to fade away. A shaky breath escaped his lips as he calmed down. What had happened? He rubbed his chest trying to get rid of the tightness his chest felt.

Footsteps echoed down the hall and a moment later voices filled the air. There was a soft knock on the door that made him flinch.

"Jack? Can I come in?" Bunny's voice reached his ears.

"Y-yes." He answered shakily. Why was he asking him if he could come in? Why didn't he just come in?

A second later the door opened and Bunny poked his head in. As he laid eyes on him Bunny's face changed. A look of worry sketched itself on Bunny's face. He quickly entered and shut the door behind him. Bunny approached him but kept his distance.

"Are you okay? You look pale." Bunny's voice was laced with worry.

"Yes!" He answered automatically. Bunny stared at him doubtfully. He didn't seem to believe him but he didn't push him.

"All right but if you feel _anything, _pain or dizziness let me know okay?" Bunny told him. While his tone was calm his eyes kept looking over him.

Just as he opened his mouth to respond to him pain blossomed all over him. It stared from the inside of his chest and spread all over his body. A scream escaped his lips as he doubled over clutching his chest. He was pretty sure Bunny had jumped up and was yelling. But that didn't register in his mind as he realized that something was _terribly _wrong.

It wasn't so much the pain, it was the sensation that he was getting. It felt like something inside of him was _broken. Gone. _There was a hollowness in his chest that seemed to spread like fire all over his body. He was vaguely aware that the door opened and that more people had entered. He ignored it all and only concentrated on what he was feeling. The pain was dull now but the empty feeling stayed. A horrible thought entered his mind.

_Did Pitch break his staff?_

Bunny tried his hardest to figure out what was wrong with Jack. His eyes were glassy and he kept clutching his chest. When he had let out that scream that was laced with pain and horror Bunny had no idea what to think. He had automatically scanned him over. There didn't seem to be anything wrong with him physically but he could always be wrong. So he did the next reasonable thing and called for help. In his haste he grabbed the plate of cookies and threw them on top of the counter.

While he yelled for help he checked over Jack physically. He put his hand over his head, and was relieved to find that it was cool. Next he grabbed Jack gently and laid him back. When he didn't flinch or even react Bunny swallowed down the panic he was feeling. At that moment the door opened and yetis flooded the room, with North and Sandy behind them. They stayed by the door to give the yetis space but North still questioned him.

"Bunny! We heard your screaming, what's wrong?"

Bunny gave Jack one last look before letting the yetis surround him. As he walked towards North he explained to him what had happened.

"When I came in he looked bad, I can't exactly describe it but there seemed to be something wrong with him. I asked him if he was okay and he said yes but I didn't believe him. I didn't want to pressure him so I told him to tell me if he felt anything, and when he went to answer he suddenly started screaming. He bent over and grabbed his chest." Bunny looked over at the yetis who were checking over Jack.

North frowned. "Maybe he hurt his rib?"

Bunny shrugged. "I don't know. He might have, but what concerned me the most was that he didn't react when I touched him."

One yeti walked back towards them. He stopped in front of North who listened to him as he spoke. North frowned again.

"Yeti says that they found nothing wrong but they'll do some tests just in case."

While the yetis started moving around Bunny took the chance and walked towards Jack. He seemed to be aware of everything again. He was nervous and was looking at all the yetis fearfully. As he approached him, Jack's eyes shifted to his.

"Are you okay now?" A small nod was all he received.

"Do you know what happened? Whatever you felt tell me or whatever happened, anything you say is important, okay?" Bunny asked him. Jack seemed to be trying to take in everything.

"I-I, P-Pitc-ch my s-sta." Jack fumbled with his words, and only freaked out more when he couldn't say what he wanted to say. Bunny immediately stepped in trying to prevent Jack from having a panic attack.

"Woah, easy there. It's okay just say it slowly." Bunny coaxed.

Jack seemed to relax a tiny bit. "P-Pitch threa-threatened me-e if I." He stopped again his eyes filled with terror.

Bunny looked behind him to see North and Sandy watching them. He swallowed and turned back around. Smiling gently he tried to help him. What could Pitch have possibly threatened him with?

"Does Pitch have to do with what just happened to you?" A nod. They were getting somewhere.

"Pitch has you threatened?" Another nod. "How does he have you threatened?"

Jack swallowed and looked down. He fiddled with his fingers. "He sa-said that he would br-break my st-staff if I-I ever esc-escaped or got out of h-his hands."

A silence stretched over them as they processed the information. It took all of Bunny's strength to not shout out in anger. It was disgusting how Pitch would threaten Jack with something like that. That and Bunny had a feeling that Jack's staff meant something more to Jack than they thought. Jack would take the wrong way if he showed anger, he needed to stay calm for Jack's sake.

"Does that have to do with what happened to you right now?" He asked gently.

Jack looked up at him with tears in his eyes. "Y-Yes. I think P-Pitch broke my staff."

* * *

**Oh my gosh I'm so sorry for the long wait. I was once again in the clutches of doing school work. I wanted to thank you guys for your support. You guys rock! I feel bad for Jack now, hehe. Reviews as always are welcomed.**


	13. Visit

**I'm back! A little sooner than last time so hopefully I won't take so long for the next chapter. Thanks for all the support and complements. You guys are awesome!**

** Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG**

* * *

Pitch lowered the two pieces of what was once a staff. A smirk adorned his face as he stared at the broken staff in front of him. Oh that had felt good. A chuckle escaped his lips. He cracked his neck. His plan was going just as planned. He would have full control of the Guardians soon. They didn't know it but he had control of them. Now all he had to do was sit and wait while they tried to figure out what had happened to Jack.

A cruel laugh bubble out of him. They would have no idea. There was no way they could figure out what Pitch had in mind. There wasn't anything they would be able to do. They would just have to sit back and watch everything unfold. They wouldn't even know what hit them. The Guardians were completely useless.

The only thing that Pitch knew he was going to have to take care of was Jack. If there could be any problem it would be Jack. A frown formed as he thought about it. Knowing Jack he would answer any question the Guardians asked. That could potentially be a problem.

If Jack had really paid any attention to him when he had been explaining his plan then he would know some crucial parts of it. Well Pitch would just have to make sure that Jack didn't open his mouth. He snorted. That part would be so easy. In fact it would almost be kind of boring. Just a small little threat and he would keep his mouth shut.

Now that he thought about it he kind of missed Jack. It was quiet, too quiet without his screams. Such a beautiful sound. He loved to see him squirm in discomfort and flinch away from him in _fear_. Pitch especially loved that. It was such a delicate fear, so cold like ice, and powerful. Oh well, he knew the perfect solution. It was time to pay him a small visit.

* * *

Bunny tapped his foot nervously. After a couple of seconds he shifted again for what felt like the hundredth time. He earned himself a deadly glare from Sandy who was watching him. Bunny shrugged innocently. Sandy merely rolled his eyes. Bunny looked at him amused for a second before returning to his thoughts.

How long did it take to get the results back from the tests the yetis had done? Bunny wasn't sure but he knew it had only been a half order at the most, but to him it felt like hours.

"Sandy's right Bunny. Pacing around is not helping you're only making us more nervous." North's voice interrupted his train of thought.

Bunny looked up at him. "Sorry." The word came out soft and a little forced. "It feels like we've been waiting for hours."

"Bunny it's only been a half hour at the most." North shook his head at his impatience. "Sit." He motioned to the empty chairs next to him.

Bunny let out a sigh as he plopped down in the middle of them. "I know but if I'm right then they won't find anything wrong with him physically. You heard Jack. That staff must have had a direct effect on him when Pitch broke it."

North nodded. "What do you think happened? You said he was in pain so I'm guessing that there's something deeper than it just helping him with his powers."

Sandy waved his arms around trying to get their attention. The other two Guardians turned towards him. Sandy formed a heart that seemed to be beating. Then Jack's staff. North and Bunny looked at each other. The same thought was going through their minds.

"You think it's a part of him?" North said what everybody was thinking.

Bunny frowned as he mulled over the idea. It could be a possibility. That would explain the reason why he was so scared when he had realized what had happened. Why he was so scared of Pitch's threat. Why he had been so freaked out about leaving Pitch. Jack was probably terrified of what Pitch could do to him. Anger ran through his veins as he thought about all the things that could happen with Pitch still having Jack's staff. A sudden realization hit him. Pitch in a way had full control of Jack.

"If that's the case then we really need to get that staff back. Especially away from Pitch." Bunny looked at each Guardians as he spoke. "We can't risk Pitch doing something else to that staff. Especially if Jack seems to be able to feel what happens to it."

They nodded. The eminent danger they were in was becoming more prominent. Not only that but Pitch hadn't shown his head and that was putting him on edge. With all this mess that was going on Bunny was expecting Pitch to have done something already. The fact that he hadn't tried to take advantage of this situation was alarming. Nothing good could come out of that.

Sandy raised his hand. An image of Pitch appeared followed by some boxing gloves. A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"You're right Sandy we have to defeat Pitch. While we're at it we'll teach him a lesson." Bunny said. His thoughts drifted back to Jack. They were going to have to work a lot to try and help Jack. But he wasn't going to complain after all it was his fault. If anything he had a lot of time on his hands. Bunny was going to do anything to help him. If that meant he would have to feed, or sleep near him to make sure Jack wouldn't have any nightmares he would do it.

At that moment a yeti come in. Three pairs of heads snapped towards his direction. Bunny sighed softly in relief as he realized that it was here to tell them about Jack. He already knew that there probably wouldn't be anything wrong, but they still had them do the tests just in case. Better safe than sorry.

The yeti came closer until it was in front of North. Bunny shifted closer, not that he could understand the yeti but at least he would be able to tell if something was wrong. As the yeti talked he observed North's face. To Bunny's relief his face didn't seem to fall instead it was filled with relief but there was still worry in it. North thanked the yeti before turning around and facing them.

"Well I guess you were right Bunny. The yetis didn't find anything wrong with him. It's not exactly good either though. So I guess the only option left is the staff. Since that's the case then we have to attack Pitch soon. We have to get that staff back at any cost. We can't afford to let Jack get hurt, or for him to keep living under that threat." North said as he crossed his arms over his chest.

Bunny nodded. "All right then, I guess this means only one thing then? We have to attack Pitch."

* * *

He stared at the door unblinking. The yetis had left a while ago after they had finished doing all the tests. Those had been the most terrified moments he had spent here. They had kept touching him and moving around him. So much movement and all the noises around him had almost made him go into a panic attack. It was only Bunny who had stayed by his side the entire time that had prevented him from hyperventilating.

Bunny had kept rubbing his hand against his in a soothing manner. Bunny had also kept whispering calming words to him. He hadn't heard most of what he had said but it was the way he was saying it, that had mattered. The words had been laced with so much kindness, patience, and dare he say it? _Love. _He wasn't even sure if he knew what that word was. He had heard of it, and seen it but he had never received it. He had never really felt love.

The closest thing he ever got to that was when Pitch would occasionally pat his shoulder or head. That small show of affection to him meant so much more to him than Pitch could ever understand. It would be those moments where he would feel so light. Filled with so much excitement and happiness. It would bubble inside of him until it threatened to explode. A grin would spread out across his face and his eyes would sparkle with something that had long ago been extinguished.

All of that because he had received something else that hadn't been hate, disappointment, or disgust. But even that was gone in a couple seconds because Pitch didn't like to see him like that. Pitch did not want to see him happy, if he wasn't happy.

Now that he was alone again the hollowness inside his chest hadn't gotten better. If anything that feeling seemed to have gotten worse. No matter what he did he couldn't get rid of it. It was suffocating, and he couldn't _breathe_. It was consuming him alive and he couldn't do anything. Now that he was alone he was certain that his staff was broken. There couldn't be any other reason that could explain what was happening.

It was like there was something inside him that was missing. Now he was starting to realize that it wasn't so much missing, it was more like _broken. _His staff must have had a connection to him or something. Now he could feel that that connection was broken. The connection must have been strong because now he felt like he couldn't live without it. It echoed throughout him and at the end he felt even lonelier than ever.

At least he knew now that he wouldn't die. That didn't mean that he didn't feel like he was dying. Not that he would mind if he did. It would only save him from so much more pain, and that horrible emptiness he was feeling.

It was taking all his energy, and consuming all his thoughts. Without him doing anything it was only thing he could concentrate on. He shifted once again but the sensation wouldn't leave. It wouldn't go _away. _No matter what he did it was there. Even if he brought his attention away from it, it only seemed to get bigger. It was almost like it was asking for his attention. It was eating him, and Jack was getting relentless.

_Ugh._

A sharp pang of pain went through his chest. It was a short throb and for a moment it started to fade. Then it begin to spread all over his chest and get even more painful. His hand clawed at his chest trying to get rid of the pain. It was like fire and there was nothing more painful to him than _fire. _He grit his teeth so he wouldn't make a single sound. He didn't want to alert the yetis outside. Slowly it faded until it was a simple dull throb. After a couple more seconds it disappeared. A small shaky breath let him know that he had been holding his breath.

Maybe he wouldn't die but he was feeling the effects. And deep inside him, he had a feeling that it would only get worse. Perhaps eventually he would die? Maybe it was only a matter of time.

A horrible chill snapped him out of his thoughts. He tensed and straightened up against the pillows. The room around him darkened and shadows danced all around. An eerie vibe filled the room. His breath came in a little quicker and sharper. It couldn't be what he was thinking. It was just his imagination. He tried to distract himself by doing something else.

Instead he raised his shirt. For a second he hesitated, scared to see what was underneath. But then he imagined feeling that chill again and with a bit more force than he imagined, he held the shirt up with his teeth. A second later he almost dropped it when he saw his chest. He had received this kind of punishment before. But every time he saw the damage it still scared him.

The bruises seemed to jump out at him, and there wasn't one inch of his skin that wasn't blue or purple. Now he could see the lumps on his skin where he assumed the broken ribs were. Every time he took a breath he could see the bruises stretch. With a shiver he tried to not freak out.

Swallowing he pulled his shirt down hastily. It was then that he felt it again. A chill that made him shiver. He closed his eyes. He had been trying to ignore it and pretend like he didn't know what it was. There was no use in pretending that he wouldn't find him. For a moment he had _almost _thought that Pitch might not find him. For a moment he had almost thought that he was _safe. _That he was actually going to be able to escape.

Why had he let himself be fooled so easily? He had thought that he had gotten over this a long time ago. He had promised himself that he would never give himself false hope. A promise that he wasn't going to fool himself like last time. When he had almost _escaped,_ but Pitch had been there. He had known. Pitch had always known. _Pitch was always there._

A swooshing sound reached his ears as something cut through the air.

Something cold and sharp touched his neck.

A _scythe._

His eyes snapped open. There was only one person that it could be.

Pitch.

His breathe came out harsher as he tried his hardest not to let out a scream. He couldn't even swallow. Not if wanted to risk the scythe cutting into his neck. While he had the bandages around his neck, he knew how sharp that scythe was. He had seen it. His eyes slowly traveled across the room to Pitch. All his dreams died instantly as he saw him standing there.

A large smirk was on his face as he held the scythe. His cold eyes were staring back at him. As their eyes meet Pitch's smirk got even bigger until his sharp teeth were showing.

"Ah, Jack! I've missed you so much. I thought you promised me that you'd never leave me? That we would always be together." Pitch walked closer but the scythe never left his neck. As he walked closer his eyes that were colder than ice, observed him. "My, my the Guardians sure have treated you fine haven't they? Look at this you have bandages, blankets, and even a cast! Tsk, there making me look like a bad person."

A mock look of horror crossed Pitch's face. "It's so horrible. All the hard work I put in to it and the Guardians come in here and mess it up. Cleaning you, giving you medical attention, feeding you, and giving you _love_." The last word was laced with disgust. "Oh, let me guess did North give you cookies?"

His breath caught as Pitch stopped directly next to him. The little courage he had evaporated and instead he only swallowed. He winced when the blade cut a little deeper.

"How rude. I come here all this way to visit you and you don't even have the decency to answer." Pitch's tone was mocking. "You never were one for decency were you? Or respect for that matter."

Pitch dug the scythe against his neck even deeper. A small whimper escaped his lips. Pitch's smirk disappeared and a menacing look replaced it. Pitch leaned in closer until their faces were inches apart from each other.

"I know you felt what happened to your staff." He closed his eyes. So Pitch had broken it. A rough shake in the head made him snap his eyes open.

"Don't you dare close your eyes on me. That wasn't just a punishment to you, there's something else that's going to happen but that's not something you need to know. I know you, and I know that you'd crack at the first insistence of the Guardians." The scythe disappeared but it didn't make the child feel any safer. If anything it made him feel like something worse was going to happen.

Pitch's hand shot out and grabbed a fistful of his hair. He opened his mouth to let out a yelp but Pitch's other hand clamped down on it. Only a muffled yelp was heard as Pitch yanked his head forward, pulling his hair savagely. His scalp burned as a handful of hair was threatened to be pulled out. Tears sprung in his eyes.

"Look at it, it wants to cry." Pitch sneered at him. It only made it worse, as more tears threatened to spill over. "Oh you're so adorable. Now I remember why I kept you for all those years. I'm kind of tempted to bring you home now. I don't know maybe if I'm in a good mood I won't punish you for having left me. Imagine all the fun we could have?"

This time a couple of stray tears cascaded down his cheeks. It left wet trails as they dripped off his cheek and onto the sheets. The hand that was on his hair loosened and left his head. Instead a delicate finger wiped off the tears from his face. His blue eyes widened and he looked at Pitch confused. What was he doing?

Pitch had a blank face as he spoke. "Now, now I don't need you crying and sobbing all over the place. Listen up because I'm only going to say this once. I'm leaving you here with the Guardians, only because it's part of my plan. I don't need you to get all attached to them. I can tell that rabbit is quite insistent. Which brings me to this next part. I don't need anything to ruin my plans, especially you." Pitch's dark look was back and this time fiercer. He yanked him forward one hand clutching his shirt.

"If you say a single word about any of my other plans, anything, I'll make you regret ever being born. I'll make every day a torture. You'll be begging me to kill you. But I won't because I'll make you suffer. Just to make things _fun_ I'll kill that little fairy right in front of you too." The words were whispered but they still held the same intensity, and coldness.

He swallowed and tried to stop himself from straight out sobbing. But like always his body betrayed him and he couldn't do anything to stop the tears from rolling down his face freely. His whole body started racking with fear. Even when Pitch's grip on his chin tightened he couldn't stop shaking. He knew that he was giving Pitch exactly what he wanted. _Fear. _Pitch loved to see him crying and shaking in fear.

He knew Pitch would do everything that he had threatened. He would make everyday a torture, and he would make him regret being born. Because he already regretted being born and everyday was a _torture. _The thing that truly made him want to cry and beg was Baby Tooth. He knew Pitch was heartless enough to actually kill her.

He couldn't risk anybody's life because of him. He wouldn't. Not if he could help it. It wasn't fair for her. She hadn't done anything wrong. She had only tried to reach out to him, to help him, and look where that had gotten her. Pitch was right. He only caused harm to others. Everybody was always getting hurt or affected because of him. He shouldn't have interacted with her. Pitch had even warned him. Now she was in danger because of his selfishness.

Pitch observed him for a moment. Before a knowing smile spread across his face. That always creeped him out. He always smiled in a way that made him feel like Pitch knew something that he didn't.

"Do you understand? It wouldn't be anybody's fault but yours. She didn't have anything to do with this, her only mistake was communicating with you." Pitch made a disappointing noise. "Do you see what happens because of you? It's all your fault. See what you make me do?"

His shoulders jerked up as a small sob tore its way from his throat. "I-I won't say anything. I promise! Please d-don't hurt her!" The child begged. His blue eyes were staring at Pitch's. The desperation that swirled behind his eyes were reflected in Pitch's eyes.

Pitch cooed as he stroked his head. "Oh but there's no need to sound so desperate. It'll be alright as long as you keep quiet." Pitch confused him even more as he leaned forward bringing him closer to his chest. Almost like Bunny had done, but there was something different about this. Something darker. It didn't feel right. There was no, _love? _

"Hush now child. We don't want anybody outside hearing." Pitch brought his arms up and wrapped them around his delicate frame.

Now he was even more confused, and alarmed. Why was he hugging him? Pitch had never done this. He had seen him beyond mad, frustrated, sad even but he had never done this. His vision was blocked as his head was pushed against Pitch's shoulder. It wasn't until Pitch's hold on him started to get tighter that he realized what he was doing. He brought his arms up desperately trying to push him away.

"Shh." Pitch shushed him, but his hold on him tightened even more. Jack's own attempts became even more desperate. He was being suffocated.

His breathing got even shorter as his chest was squished. Even with the medicine he was starting to feel the pain from his chest. That couldn't be anything good for his health. He squirmed even more as he tried to get out of his hold. He was being squished so tight that he was sure if it hadn't been for the medicine he would have been screaming at the top of his lungs in pain. Pitch seemed to realize his desperation and tightened his hold even more until he could no longer breathe.

His struggles were in vain as Pitch didn't even seem to notice his attempts at getting free. His vision clouded and black dots checkered his vision. He was sure he would black out any second now.

"P-Pitch." The rest of what he meant to say was stopped as he lost what little air he had. The word came out slurred and in a whisper. It was loud enough however to reach Pitch's ear.

"Don't worry you won't know what happened to you when you wake up. I just need you to go to sleep. I can't have you awake for what I'm going to do." Pitch smothered his face even more into his shoulder. Confusion, and panic was started to develop but he was too far gone to do anything. The only thing that managed to cross his mind was a single thought.

_What was he going to do?_

The pain was starting to make its self-known. Spreading through his chest, but the pain was more intense at his side. Luckily he couldn't feel most of it now because he was blacking out. He had long ago closed his eyes. He was struggling to remain conscious but he was quickly losing the fight. His eyelids fluttered for a moment as he struggled to open them.

He was dimly aware that heard a loud crack but he wasn't sure as he started to lose conscious. A sharp pain went down the side of his chest. It overclouded his senses for a bit before he finally succumbed to the darkness.

His limp body sagged against Pitch's.

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**Yeah, another chapter! Poor Jack so confused ****about Pitch. Being so nice to him and then evil. Pitch can sure be a manipulating person. So what do you think Pitch is going to do….? Review and tell me what you think is going to happen. Oh and I've seen other authors ask their viewers if they would do art about their story. I finally gathered the courage to ask you guys. I was wondering, if anybody here liked to draw? I mean you don't have to, but if you want to I would love to see it!**


	14. Harsh Truth

**Woah, had a long couple of weeks. My final concerts for band and orchestra. My sister's graduation. End of school. All of that took up time but I knew I couldn't leave you guys hanging. So I used all my free time and managed to get the chapter written. As always I love all your reviews and I appreciate the time that you guys take to write one. Well onto the chapter!**

**Warnings: A bit of language but not much just like a word.**

**Disclaimer: Yeah, don't ROTG.**

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Pitch stared at Jack's sleeping form. His forehead was scrunched up and his mouth was set in a deep frown. Even though Pitch had laid him on the bed his body was stiff and tense. Almost as if sensing the danger near him. A smirk adorned his face as he watched Jack twitch in his sleep. He looked so adorable. There almost seemed to be an air of innocence around him. Too bad that was about to end. When this was done there would be no going _back._

Pitch sat down on the edge of the bed next to Jack. He observed him for a moment, watching as his chest rose and fell. A loose strand of white hair fell across his face, covering his eyes. Pitch rolled his eyes. Jack always pushed his hair in front of his face to cover his eyes. Pitch stretched his arm out gently pushing the stray hair out of his eye. He was fixing Jack's hair when the door suddenly opened.

Pitch sighed in annoyance before looking up. A yeti had just opened the door. His face was calm and relaxed as the yeti looked around the room, expecting to see a sleeping Jack. He however did not expect to see Pitch sitting next to Jack. The yeti's eyes widened dramatically and Pitch chuckled at the comical expression. After it dawned on him the yeti quickly opened its mouth to call for help.

In less than a second Pitch threw a wave of sand at the yeti. The yeti let out a small yell. Its body was thrown against the wall before it fell to the ground with a thud. Pitch got up casually, brushing his shoulders to get rid of the crinkles. He walked slowly towards the yeti. It was struggling to get up from the floor. He raised his hand lazily summoning a ball of sand. The yeti however beat him to it and let out a yell. Pitch snarled before throwing the ball at him.

It him square in the chest. It fell down unconscious. He turned his head towards the door to see if anybody had heard the commotion. A couple of seconds' later footsteps shook the hallway. With an irritated sigh he glared at the yeti. He hadn't expected it to scream. Now the Guardians would know he had been here, and if he didn't want them to suspect anything then he would just have to make them _believe _he was here for a different reason.

This could be fun.

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Bunny jumped to his feet at the same time as the other Guardians. North's face filled itself with panic as he ran towards the door. The yeti's frantic yells echoed down the hallways. North pushed the door open revealing all the chaos that was going on. Sandy, and Bunny stopped right behind him also looking around in shock. Yetis were running everywhere but all of them were running in a certain direction.

North stopped a yeti that was passing by. He spoke to him in an urgent voice. The yeti responded in an equally urgent voice, his arms doing wild motions while he spoke. North paled slightly before taking on a furious look. After a couple of seconds he seemed to remember that they were still behind him. He turned around.

"Come on we have to go. Pitch is here! The yeti says that he's in Jack's room." North explained hurriedly before turning back around and running towards Jack's room.

Bunny blinked in shock as he tried to wrap his mind around what North had just said. He looked down at Sandy who seemed just as surprised as him. Bunny shook his head. He had to focus. If Pitch was here, there was only one reason why.

He was here to get Jack back.

And Bunny wasn't going to let that happen. He had promised Jack that he would never let Pitch get him. He would do whatever was in his power to prevent that. He wasn't going to allow Pitch to lay another hand on Jack. Not over his dead body.

"Come on Sandy!" He yelled before hurrying after North.

He didn't look behind him to see if Sandy had followed him. Bunny knew he was behind him. He quickly weaved his way through all the yetis. Just as he got closer to the room something black nailed him straight in the chest. He let out a grunt as he slammed into the ground.

With a powerful punch he eliminated the Nightmare that was on top of him. Bunny got up onto his feet, brushing off pieces of sand that were on him. He turned his head towards Sandy who was a couple feet behind him. A question mark appeared over his head. Bunny waved him off with a small laugh.

"I'm fine Sandy. It just took me by surprise." He said while he walked. Sandy gave him a glare before following him. As they got closer the yells of the yetis could be heard as they fought against the Nightmares. He took his boomerangs out even though he knew they wouldn't work in such a cramped space. When he hit another Nightmare close by he knew that they still worked fine to eliminate Nightmares.

Sandy and Bunny helped the yetis that were in the hallway as they slowly made their way to the room. He could see North from here, as he made progress to get to Jack. The yetis were putting up a fight as they eliminated Nightmare after Nightmare. But for every single one they destroyed two more took its place. Bunny dodged a kick one of the Nightmares sent him before returning it with his own kick.

"We're here!" He told Sandy. Without any hesitation he jumped in, almost at the same time that North did. They looked up at each other for a second before looking ahead.

Pitch was sitting next to Jack. His hand was stroking Jack's cheek almost making it look tender. _Almost. _If it wasn't for the smirk on Pitch's face and the fact that he had a scythe up against his neck. He looked down at Jack, cooing softly before looking up at them.

"Ah, what a pleasant encounter." Pitch purred as he crossed his legs. "And as much as I would love to stay and chat as you can see I was in the middle of something. If you would excuse me."

Pitch stared pointedly at them. Bunny glared back. He had promised Jack that he would never let Pitch lay another hand on him. He was going to stop him at any cost. Bunny wasn't going to allow Pitch to walk out with him when Jack was in their care.

"What did you do to him?" Bunny snapped. He looked back at Jack's face who was twisted in pain. Now that he looked closer his whole body seemed to be tense.

Pitch raised a non-existent eyebrow at him. "Me! What did _I _do to him? Nothing." He answered nonchalantly. A second later a grin appeared.

"At least nothing painful. _Too painful."_

Bunny growled his anger bubbling inside him. His hands curled into fists, crushing the boomerangs he had in his grasp. He was going to make Pitch regret ever messing with Jack. He was going to wipe that smug grin that he had on his face away.

"Pitch we will not let you take Jack." North cut it before Bunny could say something back.

Bunny glared at North for a second before directing his gaze at Pitch. Laughter filled the room as Pitch held his stomach. He ignored the glares he was receiving as he wiped a tear from his eye.

"Oh my, you guys are even funnier than I thought. What makes you think you can stop me? Hmm? What gives you the right to try? After abandoning him for decades you try to make it up by giving him food, shelter! Well let me tell you something. Jack can _never _go back to what he was. It's too late." Pitch's voice was sharp and cold as he spoke. Their eyes meet and Bunny saw the humor in them.

"After all what can you do if they don't have _hope_?" Pitch pushed the scythe deeper into Jack's neck. Jack whimpered as he twitched in his sleep.

"Pitch you bastard! How can you do this to a mere _child_? I didn't think you could drop this low. He can't even fight back! Are you really contempt attacking someone when their down? When they can't even raise a finger to defend themselves." Bunny snapped in an equally cold voice.

He ignored the other two Guardian's disbelieving looks. He knew they were in shock at what he had said but he was really furious.

To his dismay Pitch didn't even bat an eyelash. "Well let me tell you something. He put up quite a fight the first couple of years. You should have seen him. How he held on to this fake _hope _that someone was going to help him or that he was going to be able to escape. It was actually a bit sad to see him finally give up and realize that he nothing was going to change. Now I can't really decide if I liked him better when he was sarcastic and rude or when he's submissive, and scared."

He was sure his whole body was trembling with barely contained rage. Bunny took a small step forward, but when Pitch pressed the scythe even closer to Jack's neck that a piece of the bandage fell off he stopped.

"You know what? I like it when he's submissive and scared. I'm sure you've seen him. Isn't it just adorable?" Pitch asked them. His eyes mocked them but they couldn't do anything without risking the possibility of hurting Jack.

Bunny was now shaking in rage. Pitch was just asking to get beaten to a pulp. He kept mocking them and tormenting them with his words. They stung and ate away at their conscious. While it was sick listening to him say those things a part of him believed he deserved to hear those things.

"You know something Bunny?" Pitch suddenly asked. His eyes flickered to his. "Would you like to know that Jack held onto the fact that you would one day save him for such a long time. Honestly it bored me so much having him repeat, 'He'll come. He'll save me and when he does he'll beat you up.' But now I enjoy those words so much. Do you know why?"

Dread filled his stomach as Pitch paused to observe his reaction. He knew Pitch was messing with him but he wanted to know. Did Jack really think he was going to save him? Did he really hold onto that hope for such a long time? How must have Jack felt when he didn't come? Guilt and remorse ate at him.

"The best part was when one day he looked up at me. His blue eyes were full of despair and tears. He looked so small and fragile. He stopped me, and then he whispered to me in a broken voice that trembled when he forced the words out." Pitch shook his head in false sympathy.

"You were right. He'll _never _come. I'm sorry for doubting you."

The silence that hung over them was suffocating. Bunny was trying his best not to let it show how much Pitch's words were affecting him. They stung and hurt. The familiar ache in his chest became more pronounced. He knew he shouldn't let Pitch's words get to him but he knew that he was telling the truth. And that hurt more than anything.

Knowing that it was the truth. That at one point Jack had had complete trust in him. That he had believed that he would save him. How much had it hurt Jack when he realized that Bunny was not coming for him? That Bunny had broken any hope Jack had had.

"I guess it was then that he stopped believing in you guys. He no longer had that spark in him. He didn't make any efforts to escape or resist. He was broken in a way." Pitch looked down at the child next to him.

"Pitch, how could you even do this? Don't you feel any remorse for what you're doing? For what you've done?" North asked, distaste clear in his voice. Bunny glanced at him. His hands were holding his weapons and he was still in a battle stance.

The boogieman shrugged. "After a while you have to resort to doing things that other people consider _wrong. _And everything I do you've always considered wrong."

Bunny snorted making Pitch glare at him. "Well maybe we wouldn't consider everything you do wrong, if you did it the correct way. Not by torturing people, _children."_

This time Pitch's mouth twitched. Bunny let a smirk settle on his face. He had finally managed to provoke a reaction from him. Maybe if he continued distracting him somebody would think of something. They needed a plan. Fast. Anything to get Pitch away from Jack. There first priority was Jack's safety. That meant they could not for any reason let Pitch get away with Jack. The Guardians knew exactly what could, and _would _happen to Jack if they let that occur.

The only thing they could do was get Pitch away. They had to find a way, _quickly. _They both knew they were stalling. In fact Pitch could have left with Jack by now, and the fact that he hadn't was now raising a red flag in Bunny's mind.

"That's such an ugly word. I prefer the term _conditioning. _It has a nicer tone to it." As Pitch talked he failed to notice how Sandy had summoned sand and was molding it behind his back. Bunny's eyes flickered over to him quickly before looking away. He couldn't give him away.

"Let me tell you it took a bit of training to finally get him to follow my instructions. But now that he does, he does an excellent job. He doesn't even hesitate to follow my orders." He spoke with a hint of pride.

"It could also be because he doesn't have a choice. He's probably under so many threats that he doesn't dare disobey." Bunny crossed his arms over his chest trying to draw his attention away from Sandy.

Pitch took the bait as he stared directly at him. "Threats? They aren't threats, you got it all wrong. They are _rules. _And each one has a consequence for being broken. I made that very clear to him. Whether or not he chooses to obey those rules is not my fault."

Bunny shook his head. How could Pitch even think that? It didn't matter anymore, what Pitch had done was inerasable. Jack would always have to live with the _consequences_ of what Pitch had done to him. He had crossed the line this time.

"I don't want to imagine the kind of rules you had, especially the consequences. Just look at him! Don't you have any type of conscious?" North asked him. He glanced over at Bunny and when their eyes meet a look passed between them.

Bunny casually looked away acting as if nothing had happened. He knew Sandy was done and was ready to act. Now the only thing left was to distract him for a few seconds so Sandy could do it.

"You know Pitch I have one simple question. Why did you decide to take Jack? Why all of a sudden all the interest in him? Knowing you there has to be a very good reason why you took him." Bunny said all of a sudden, not letting Pitch answer. He didn't miss North's surprised face or Pitch's.

A smug look spread across Pitch's face quickly hiding his surprise. "As much as I would love to tell you all about my evil plan, I'm afraid that that would ruin what I have in mind. I guess I'll just leave you hanging. After all you should already kn-."

He was cut off abruptly as he was suddenly shoved off the bed. He flew back before hitting the floor in a non-graceful way. Not wasting a moment Bunny sprang into action. He quickly stepped in between Pitch and Jack. A second later North was at his side. Sandy was the only one that stopped directly in front of Pitch.

Now that Bunny could see him he could tell how mad Sandy was. Even with his back turned he could see the anger that radiated off of him. Without any hesitations he summoned his whips and grabbed Pitch by his ankle. Pitch who still hadn't recovered from being slammed into the ground didn't manage to stop Sandy from picking him up and throwing him over by the door.

Sandy walked casually towards him. North and Bunny glanced at each other before silently agreeing to let Sandy do whatever he wanted to. Instead they watched as Pitch managed to get up. He was clutching his chest as he stood firmly. An angry scowl adorned his face.

"Very well if a fight is what you want, then a fight you'll get." He snarled before throwing his hands up and summoning a horde of Nightmares. "I would just be a little careful considering you have _two _patients."

Bunny looked over at Tooth before looking back at Jack. In their haste they had completely forgotten about Tooth. He looked at North before motioning with his head towards Tooth. North nodded and moved to stand in front of Tooth.

"Pitch is right. We have to be careful. We can't fight in here with both Jack and Tooth injured. We have to push this fight outside." North said as he looked at the giant ball of Nightmares.

Sandy nodded as he flicked his whip towards Pitch. He immediately stepped backwards to avoid getting hit. Just as quickly Sandy brought the other whip across this time managing to nick Pitch's arm. The boogieman let out a hiss as he stumbled back. He didn't realize that he had been pushed out into the hallway.

But the other Guardians did and quickly advanced forward wanting to cut off any way for Pitch to get back into the room. The Nightmares that had been standing there snorted before running at them.

"We can't let them get past us! We have to push them out." Bunny yelled as he kicked a Nightmare before spinning around and delivering another kick.

North nodded as he slashed through Nightmare after Nightmare. Bunny made sure that not a single Nightmare made it past them. He kept fighting without using his boomerangs. He didn't want to risk injuring somebody. He used them to help cut through the Nightmares faster.

Bunny kept attacking, and dodging. He knew that Sandy had managed to keep Pitch outside in the hallway. Now it was up to them to make sure that no Nightmare made it past them.

He barely managed to dodge a bite that would have been nasty. He quickly punched it before it had the chance to try and bite him again. It was only when North bumped into him that he realized that they had managed to get rid of the giant swarm of Nightmares. Bunny let out a sigh as he lowered his arms.

"We have to go check on Sandy but I want to make sure Jack's alright. Go on ahead." He told North. North looked at him for a second before nodding and taking off.

Bunny looked after him for a second before turning around and going to Jack. He pressed his ear against his chest and listened for his heartbeat. When he found a steady beat Bunny let out a relived sigh. Bunny looked him over more carefully to make sure there wasn't any physical wounds. When he didn't see any visible ones he moved Jack's head onto the pillows. Just as he took a step forward he quickly turned around and ruffled his hair tenderly.

Bunny wasted no time as he ran down the hallway trying to find North and Sandy. He found them fighting Pitch in the globe room. Sliding to a stop Bunny threw his boomerang at Pitch's back. The weapon flew and Pitch who was too busy dodging North's swords didn't notice it until it was too late. It hit him straight in the shoulder.

Pitch let out a yelp and turned around. His eyes landed on him, and without any hesitations he raised his hands summoning more sand. Bunny also raised his hand as he caught his boomerang. Pitch brought his hands together, and a giant mass of sand came flying at him. His eyes widened slightly as he tried to dodge the sand. He jumped and barely missed the sand by a couple of inches.

He didn't look behind him to see the damage the sand had left. His chest rose up and down harshly as he was forced to jump out of the way again. This time the sand caught his foot and he went flying. Instinctively he brought his arms forward as the ground came closer. With a thud, he crashed into the floor. Pain raced up his arm and head as he rolled forward a couple of feet from the momentum before coming to a stop.

He grunted in pain but he forced himself to get up. His head pounded with every little movement, and his arm was wet. Bunny looked down only to see a long scratch on his arm. Blood was oozing out and dripping to the floor from his fingers.

"Bunny!" A fuzzy voice reached his ears. He forced himself to look up only to see North get blocked by something black.

He stumbled back a bit trying to get rid of the ringing in his ears. His body didn't seem to react to him, in fact his mind was in a haze. Bunny knew he had to react. He could see Pitch trying to get to him. North was distracting him but Pitch's intent to get to him was obvious. A hand touched him on the shoulder making him jerk back a bit.

Sandy was floating next to him staring at him in concern. Bunny offered him a small smile.

"I-I'm fine-e. Just a l-little dizzy." He fumbled with his words. Maybe he had hit his head harder than he had thought.

Sandy gave him a look. He obviously didn't believe him, but they didn't have a choice. North was still fighting and he wouldn't last long alone.

"C-come on. We have to help North. You can h-help me later." He added the last part at Sandy's questioning look.

With a silent sigh he nodded and flew over to help North. Bunny took a few shaky steps before he was able to walk without stumbling. Sandy kept trying to hit Pitch with his whips but he kept dodging them. Just as North was about to attack he disappeared.

Silence surrounded them as they tried to figure out where Pitch would show up next. Bunny made his way to the Guardians. Back to back the Guardians looked around. Bunny's breathing was rough as he tried to push the throbbing pain to the back of his mind. His eyes scanned the room thoroughly. His ears were on high alert. Listening for any sound that could alert them to Pitch.

He could only hear his heart's frantic beating, and North's heavy breaths. If he was Pitch what would he do? He would attack one of them, and he would attack the weakest one. Right now he was the weakest one, he was still shaky from the hit that his head had received. If he was right then that would mean that Pitch was going to attack him. He would just have to be ready for it.

A couple of more seconds passed by before a faint whooshing sound reached his ears. Acting out of pure instinct Bunny whipped his boomerang where he had heard the noise. He watched as Pitch appeared only to get hit dead on with his boomerang. He let out a pained cry as he clutched his face. Pitch moved his hand away from his face, revealing the blood that was dripping down it.

"Mark my _words, _you will **regret **ever crossing my path." His eyes hardened and turned unbelievably cold. The hatred that laced his words was clear.

Bunny shivered slightly. Now he could understand why Jack was so terrified of him. But he wasn't going to let him intimidate him.

"We're going to make _you _regret everything you've done. You'll regret every laying a _finger _on him." Bunny said coolly.

His reply made Pitch snarl and with a last glare he disappeared.

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**So, about not updating in like a, month? Ehh, I'm terribly sorry? *Feels all the glares* Well now that I'm out of school I should have more free time. I'll try and get the next chapter as soon as possible. Like always your reviews are awesome! There very encouraging, and make my day better. Hope you guys enjoyed it.**


	15. Hope

** I was so excited to write the next chapter! I have to admit I love writing Jack like this. He's so fun to write! As always your support is appreciated, and welcomed!**

** Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

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Something soft touched his face. He could feel it brushing his hair away from his forehead. He scrunched his nose for a second as he was brought out of the darkness he was in. Not wanting to give up the darkness he was in, he squished his eyes together even deeper.

"Ja-a-Jack." Choppy words reached his ear. Something was telling him that it was important for him to get up.

"Jack. Jack! Jack!" The urgency in his voice made him moan. It almost sounded like they were talking to him. Something inside of him told him that he was doing something bad. Somebody shook him gently in the shoulder.

Was it time to get up? Did Pitch want something? Pitch? Pitch!

With a gasp he shot up, his eyes opening in alarm. White filled his vision and he covered his eyes with his arm. After a couple of seconds his eyes adjusted to the light. Hesitantly he lowered his arm. Now that he finally took in where he was he let out another gasp and backed away feverishly. The Guardians were all surrounding his bed. He scooted back until his back hit the pillow.

He was trapped. All the Guardians were surrounding him and there was no way he could run. Run? What was he thinking? Did he want to make the Guardians angrier? What was wrong with him? With a start he realized that Bunny had been the one that had been calling his name. And he had _ignored _him! He looked at all of them.

North was on the edge of his bed while Sandy and Bunny were on either side of him. They had him cornered, and his only exit was blocked. He took in a sharp breath only to whimper in pain. He clutched his side as he waited for the pain to recede.

"Jack? Jack are you okay?" Bunny moved closer making him flinch. He let out a sad sigh before moving backwards.

"Yes." He muttered quietly. He knew better than to tell him the truth. He could only imagine what could happen to him if Bunny knew he was in pain.

Bunny stared at him sternly. He shook his head before looking at him. There seemed to be regret shining in his eyes, but that couldn't be right.

"Jack." His voice was firm and he had no choice but to look at him. "Tell me the truth. Are you okay? Are you in pain?"

Jack looked away. That was a direct order and he couldn't lie. Even if that meant he was going to be in even _more _pain.

"N-no I th-think." He stopped himself as he realized what he had just said. He didn't think. He was too stupid for that. His opinion didn't count. "I'm sorry. My rib m-might be b-broken."

He waited to get struck. The spirit wasn't allowed to ever voice his opinion like that. When the blow never came he looked up. Bunny's face was filled with horror. Swallowing Jack looked around at the other Guardians. North had a similar look but there seemed to be as much horror as anger. Finally he looked at Sandy. He could see the anger swirling behind his eyes, but when Sandy noticed that he was looking at him he gave him a small smile.

"Jack tell me, did Pitch do this?" This time North asked him.

He gave a hesitant nod. How did they know Pitch had been here? Had they seen him? His eyes suddenly widened. What had Pitch done? He had told him that he couldn't have him awake for what he was going to do. So what had he done? He looked down at himself. Nothing seemed out of place. He looked the same.

"Was that the only thing he did to you?" Bunny's green eyes were full of concern.

He froze knowing full well that Pitch didn't want the Guardians to know what he had done. He was just going to have to lie, and hope that the Guardians didn't notice.

"Yes." He lied.

Bunny's eyes observed him with such an intensity that it made him squirm. Did he know that he was lying? If he did he was going to get punished for lying, but he couldn't tell them the truth. He was willing to take the risk.

"Jack you know we would never hurt you right?" Bunny's sudden question caught him off guard. Why was he telling him that kind of stuff? Of course he would hurt him. Everybody ended up hurting him at some point. Was he trying to trick him? That was the only logical explanation.

When he didn't answer Bunny let out a soft sigh. Taking that as a sign of irritation he immediately apologized. This time Bunny simply looked at him. A tense silence surrounded them as Jack looked down at his lap.

"With Pitch attacking us today we realized something." North broke the silence. He looked up at them in surprise. Pitch had attacked them? As he looked at them more closely he realized that he had failed to notice the bandages that covered Bunny's arm.

"We can't have you here." Bunny said softly.

His eyes snapped up to him. There it was. What he had been waiting for. They were finally going to kick him out. Pitch didn't even have to come take him they would just give him to Pitch. He knew that he had been right in not letting himself believe that somebody would actually care for him. Nothing was ever going to change. He was always going to be stuck with Pitch.

He looked down as tears jumped to his eyes. He couldn't let the Guardians see him cry. It would just make things worse for him. He wouldn't be able to deal with their insults.

"Jack?" When he didn't look up right away somebody touched his shoulder. He flinched away, his head snapping up. Bunny's form was blurry from the tears that were in his eyes, but he still saw him frown.

"Jack are you okay? Why are you crying? Are you in pain?" Bunny asked him slowly trying not to scare him.

Knowing it wouldn't make much of a difference he decided to take a risk and ask a question.

"Are you giving me back to Pitch?" This time he couldn't keep his lip from trembling. He knew that he was seconds away from crying. He didn't want this anymore. He was tired. Tired of all the abuse. But he was especially afraid of going back to Pitch. Of what could, and _would _happen to him. When he blinked the tears dripped down his cheeks. "I'm s-sorry!"

He managed to stop his shoulders from jerking but he couldn't stop the tears that were dripping down his cheek. When nobody answered he looked up. North who was directly in front of him was staring at him wide-eyed. At that moment he saw the sadness and guiltiness in his face. His eyes flickered over to Sandy who had moved back from him. His face had fallen and his shoulders were slumped forward. Finally he looked at Bunny.

Bunny's reaction was the most noticeable. His mouth was slightly open and his eyes were looking at his. When they meet the guiltiness, regret, and concern in them was too much for him. He didn't understand any of this. Why were they acting like this? The concern for him almost looked _real. _He could almost lie to himself and think that they cared for him. But that wasn't true because if it was they wouldn't be kicking him out.

A loud mutter made him look up. Bunny was tightening his hands. His eyes were drawn together and a snarl was forming on his face. He looked furious. He looked almost as intimating as Pitch. And for a moment he saw Pitch reflected in him. Bits and pieces of memories flashed before him. All of them with the same expression on Pitch's face.

_Pain_

Anger

Humiliation

Regret

**Pain**

Apologies

Tears

Blood

**PAIN**

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Sorry!" He sobbed openly. He could only see Pitch standing there waiting to hit him, to cause him pain, to punish him. Out of instinct and years of experience he raised his hands in front of his face. "Please don't h-hurt me. P-please!"

He knew he looked pathetic and he was probably only adding more reasons to get kicked out and get hurt. A small sob tore through his throat and he immediately clamped a hand on his mouth. His blue eyes widened in horror.

"I'm sor-"Jack was cut off as something curled around his thin frame. He tensed up as his mind tried to comprehend what was happening. Two furry arms were wrapped around him and his head was placed comfortably against a shoulder. Two blue eyes stared ahead in shock.

"Listen to me closely. We would _never, _and I mean never give you to Pitch willingly. I know we failed you once already but I won't repeat that same mistake ever. I promise you that we'll try to take care of you. I know it won't be easy but we owe you that much." Bunny's voice was soft and gentle.

All the words died in his throat as he felt another smaller pair of arms wrap themselves around Bunny and him. When he blinked another trail of tears fall down his cheeks. He had no idea what was happening. What were they doing? This time a stronger pair of arms wrapped themselves around all three of them. Were they trying to suffocate him?

"We are here for you Jack." North's deep voice was kind and soft. A golden heart flashed above Sandy's head echoing what the other two Guardians had said.

With all three of the Guardians hugging him all Jack could do was stare ahead in surprise, shock, and confusion. How was he supposed to react to this, this show of _affection? _Was that what it was? Affection? That couldn't be, how could they show affection to somebody like him? A chill went down his back as remembered Pitch doing the same thing. Yet like the last time this _hug _felt different. There didn't seem to be any dark intentions. He could always be wrong and he usually was.

"I know I scared you with what I said and I want to apologize. I shouldn't have said it like that. It was my mistake. What I meant to say was that it's not safe for you _here. _At North's place. We're going to move you to a hopefully safer place. We're still going to take care of you but you'll just be in a different place." Bunny explained to him, but he gave no indication of letting go.

"Where?" He asked quietly afraid that he would anger them. He kept asking questions and talking out of term. It was a miracle they hadn't punished him for that. He remembered the one time that Pitch had put something close to a muzzle on his face for about a month because he had talked to him when he wasn't supposed to.

"When we helped the Tooth Fairy collect teeth we stopped at a certain house._ North _woke the child up and he saw all of us. We left him sleeping. Then in Easter he was one of the few that still believed in me. We managed to convince him even more that we're real along with a couple of other kids. All of us agreed that you staying with him for a bit would be out best bet." Bunny explained to him. "At least while we find Pitch and attack him. He's probably at the weakest he'll be for a while."

North finally let go of them and stepped back. Sandy followed his example a couple of seconds later. Bunny seemed to be the only one reluctant to let him go. His grip on him didn't tighten instead it remained loose almost as if it was allowing him to break out of it. Unsure of what to do and no longer being able to resist the urge, he felt his body relax against his wishes. His head was nestled against Bunny's shoulder and he couldn't gather the will to raise his head off of it.

He could never recall a moment where he had felt so comfortable, almost safe, than right now. Slowly he felt his body relax even more. His shoulders weren't as stiff anymore and he actually leaned into the contact. A flicker of warmth appeared in his chest. But it wasn't painful, no it was a nice type of warmth. One that he had never felt. He couldn't explain what it was, but whatever it was it felt nice.

"Sandy and I are going to get the sleigh ready. We'll be waiting for you. Oh and try not to make your injuries worse Bunny." North interrupted the comfortable silence they had been in.

"I'll try. We'll go in a minute." Bunny answered him. Without another word the other two Guardians made their way to the door. Sandy turned around and gave him a small reassuring smile. Jack looked back at him before trying to mimic him. He forced his mouth up and hoped that it looked something like Sandy's. Sandy stopped dead in his track as his face filled with surprise. North who noticed Sandy stop, turned and looked at him. His eyes widened.

For a moment his smile faltered, scared that he had offended them. But then Sandy let out a huge grin and clapped his hands excitedly. He flinched slightly at his outburst. He looked at North trying to understand why he was acting like that. It was almost like the mini fairies. But Sandy wasn't obsessed with teeth, w_as he? _Did he like his teeth too?

"Please forgive Sandy. He just got excited at seeing you try to smile." North's voice was filled with amusement as he tapped Sandy on the shoulder. His reaction was lost as Jack froze as he felt Bunny twitch slightly. Was it because of what North had said? When Bunny didn't do anything he focused on the other two Guardians.

Sandy looked at them before realizing what he was doing. An embarrassed expression settled on his face. He scratched the back of his head before waving and turning around. North smiled again before following Sandy out the door.

Once they both were out the door Jack was reminded of his current situation. Bunny seemed intent on staying in the position they were in. Realizing that there was nothing he could do, he complemented the idea of getting comfortable on his neck. That would be taking a huge risk. What if he ruined the moment because of what he was going to say? After a moment he made up his mind. Summoning as much courage as he could he licked his lips.

"C-can I-I." All the courage he had evaporated as he felt Bunny turn his head slightly. What was he doing? He couldn't imagine what Pitch would have done if he would have seen how many times he had spoken out of term.

"Go ahead. You can ask me what you want." Bunny shifted slightly and he felt himself get moved slightly to the side.

"W-would you g-give me your per-permission to get comfortable o-on your s-shoulder?" His voice wavered and he prepared himself to get shoved off.

"Of course you can, I don't mind at all but we have to get ready to move you. We had the yetis remove the IV while you were asleep." Bunny slowly started to unwrap his arms from him. The loss of warmth brought his back to reality.

"I know you won't feel comfortable with this but it would be best for your health if I carried you to the sleigh." Bunny shifted away from him as he got up.

"I could w-walk if you want to. W-with crutches or w-without them." He made sure he looked submissive as he spoke. He didn't want Bunny to think he was rejecting his idea.

"With broken ribs and a broken leg!" Bunny looked at him startled. "Did you really walk like this?"

He looked at him from beneath his bangs. "Yes. I-I have jobs I h-have to do."

Bunny's gaze softened and he shook his head. "It's a long way there and there's some stairs that would make it impossible to get there safely. I know that it'll be uncomfortable but I'm going to have to put my arms under you to lift you up."

He nodded not understanding why he was warning him. Bunny nodded back and stretched his arms under him. He jumped despite seeing his arms go under his knees. Bunny hesitated as he saw his reaction but he continued and put his other arm under his back. With little effort Bunny picked him up.

Even though he saw Bunny doing it as gently as possible his newly broken rib along with the other ones protested. He muffled a whimper and instead it came out in a small hiss. He closed his eyes and waited as the pain passed.

"Jack did I hurt you? Are you okay? Can you go on?" Bunny asked him slowly as he brought him his chest. He mentally cringed. Of course he would hear him, Bunny probably had excellent hearing.

"I'm o-okay." He responded instinctively. Bunny looked down at him for a second. Something passed behind his green eyes that he couldn't decipher.

"I'll try to walk gently and not move you too much so I don't agitate your injuries." Bunny told him.

He nodded and Bunny slowly started walking. Every time he took a step a shot of pain went through his chest but Jack did his best to ignore it. They walked through the door and into the hallway. Bunny's strong arms held him comfortably, not squeezing him too tightly or loosely enough that he could drop him.

As they walked down the hallway he got a close look at the disaster that it was in. Black sand littered the ground, a testimony of the fight that had occurred. Yetis were walking down the hallway cleaning the mess and fixing any damage that they could find. Whenever one passed by he would shrink even more in Bunny's arms. He was surprised that Bunny hadn't told him to stop.

Not knowing what to do he kept as still as possible so he wouldn't anger Bunny. Even as tempting as it was to snuggle his head into Bunny's chest he didn't want to risk being dropped.

"About what you said earlier, I give you permission to get comfortable. You're so tense." Bunny looked down at him for a moment.

"Thank you sir." He said respectfully.

Bunny stumbled just as they reached the end of the hallway. "Woah, just call me Bunny okay? That makes me feel old."

His eyes widened in fear. He had insulted him. "I'm sorry! I didn't know." He knew Bunny could feel him trembling.

"It's okay. I was just joking." Bunny curled his arms bringing him closer to his chest. Resuming his pacing he watched from Bunny's arms as they exited the hallway.

As his eyes took in everything he was sure his eyes had widened and his mouth was hanging open.

* * *

Bunny ignored the pain that he was starting to feel. His arm throbbed but he paid it no attention. The only thing that was a bit worrying was his head. He was sure that he had hit it harder than he had originally thought. He had it checked and the yetis said he had a concussion. Of course North and Sandy had made a big fuss about it.

Considering the fact that he was no longer stuttering and tripping he blew it off. That's why he had decided that it was safe to carry Jack. He didn't want to risk dropping him. But now that he realized how light Jack was he didn't think there was a possibility of him dropping him. He barely weighed anything. Bunny had had an assumption that he was underweight considering how thin Jack was. Now that he was actually carrying him in his own arms he had an actual feel of how thin he was.

Bunny was sure that if he squeezed any harder he could break him. In fact he was so scared of grabbing him to hard and hurting him. He held him protectively but at the same time he made sure that Jack could see what Bunny knew was going to be a nice view. Just as he thought Jack moved in his arms.

He looked down at him discreetly. Just as he had suspected Jack's mouth was slightly open and his eyes were wide open. Bunny hid a smile and kept walking like he hadn't seen his reaction. He made sure his steps were slow and steady.

"It's a beautiful sight isn't it?" Bunny asked softly. When he felt Jack tense in his arms he glanced down. His eyes were wide and full of fear and panic. He seemed to be debating over something. "What's wrong?"

His question seemed to make things worse. Jack started breathing faster making his chest rise up and down harshly. Bunny was left questioning how it didn't hurt his ribs. Not wanting him to hyperventilate Bunny quickly tried to fix his mistake.

"It was a comment. You don't have to answer. I personally think that it's a pretty nice sight, just don't say anything to North." He made sure his tone was playful and gentle. His response shook Jack out of the panicked state he had been in.

His face relaxed and the overwhelming feat that had clouded his eyes slowly disappeared. Bunny mentally sighed in relief. No matter how many times he had seen North's place he still found his eyes looking around in wonder. Even if there weren't as many yetis working, since most of them were helping clean the mess that Pitch had made, it was still a breathtaking view.

Bunny made sure that Jack wasn't paying attention to him as he looked at him. A smile tugged at his mouth as he watched Jack's eyes flicker across the room. His eyes had widened even more and with the light that reflected his eyes looked even bluer. Jack leaned a bit more on his arms to get a better look. Bunny pretended not to notice even though Jack didn't seem to remember.

His head kept twitching at every sound, and every time his eyes caught something interesting Jack would keep staring at it until it was out of sight. Bunny could see the innocence in his eyes as he stared at everything. For a moment the old Jack was there. He looked like a child, and this time a sad smile formed on his face.

"You should see this place when it's near Christmas." He said softly. Jack seemed to finally remember that he was in his arms and quickly stopped leaning forward. "There's so many lights and everything's so peaceful even if everybody is running around."

He reached the pair of stairs that he had told Jack about. With a bit more difficulty he managed to go down the stairs. His head started to hurt but Bunny ignored it. Instead he concentrated on going down the stairs. He felt Jack grip onto his arm and Bunny brought him closer to his chest. To his surprise he felt Jack snuggle his head into his chest. He almost stopped in shock but he managed to keep going. He didn't want to scare him.

Especially now that he was finally showing something else that wasn't fear. He had seen a small bit of the old Jack for a moment. It wasn't a lot, but to Bunny it just convinced him even more that they could help him. He might not be able to be the same Jack but they could help him enough that he could smile and talk without being afraid of getting hit.

As he made his way down the stairs he glanced down at Jack for a second. Jack had actually snuggled half of his face into his chest. Bunny was sure that he liked how soft his fur was. His eyes were slightly closed almost as if he was starting to doze off. Jack's mouth was partially open as he slowly lost the fight to keep awake. His fingers twitched slightly as Jack tried to keep his eyes open. Bunny grinned at how adorable he looked.

There was still hope.

* * *

**I know a faster update, I probably amazed many of you. That scene where Jack is all amazed is almost like how the place looked when Jack first saw it in the movie. I tried to write a slightly happy chapter but at the same time I feel like it was sad. I actually went aww, when Bunny hugged him and I'm the one writing, haha. I feel like it was an important moment when all the Guardians hugged. Oh, if only things could stay like that….**


	16. Believer

**Thanks to all the support and encouragement. It makes my day! Oh and I have a very important question! I had noticed like three or four chapters ago how horrible my first chapter is. Seriously how did someone even read that? I was cringing at all the errors there were. I guess somebody's got to start somewhere, right? So do you just replace/update the chapter with another document? Help would be loved!**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ROTG**

* * *

Jamie kicked his shoes off and fell back onto his bed. He stretched out trying to get comfortable. He pulled a pillow, snuggling his face into it. Jamie closed his eyes trying to go to sleep. Just as he started to get sleepy a tapping noise got his attention.

"What?" He mumbled as he raised his head. Jamie looked around his room trying to figure out what that noise had been. When he didn't see anything he lowered his head again. A few seconds later the noise returned.

This time Jamie raised his body up. When the tapping continued he got up and walked closer to where he thought the noise was coming from. He stopped in front of the window. Jamie titled his head trying to see something. What could be causing that sound?

A few seconds later the sound stopped and gold sand swirled in front of the window. Jamie gasped and took a step backwards. What was that? As he looked at it closer he realized that it looked like Sandy's sand. The sand slowly disappeared and Jamie stepped forward to get a closer look. Sandy's head suddenly popped out.

Jamie let out a startled yell as he stumbled backwards. His foot tripped on something that was on the floor. His arms swung around wildly as he fell backwards.

"Ow." Jamie rubbed his neck as he got up. He looked at Sandy giving him a mock glare. Sandy's startled face changed into an embarrassed one. Symbols formed above his head, and after a moment Jamie guessed that he was apologizing.

"It's okay, you just scared me. What are you doing here Sandy?" His excitement rose as he realized that the Sandman was outside his window.

A figure that looked like North, then another one that he assumed was Bunny appeared over his head followed by a sleigh.

"Um, the other Guardians are here?" He asked hesitantly. Sandy nodded. He raised a finger and pointed to him.

"Me?" Jamie asked. Sandy nodded and formed an image of the forest by an image of him. "The forest? You?"

Sandy nodded before scrunching his face thoughtfully. A lightbulb appeared over his head. Footsteps formed followed by a picture of trees. Seconds later a picture of him appeared next to the forest.

"You want me to go to the forest?" Jamie cocked his head to the side slightly.

Sandy nodded enthusiastically. A picture of Sandy appeared next to Jamie.

"You're going to be at the forest?" Sandy nodded. "Are the other Guardians going to be there too?" Another nod.

"Okay, just give me a moment. I have to go tell my mom." Jamie told him. Sandy nodded before flying off. He stared at him for a moment in amazement before running across his room to find his shoes. Jamie stumbled as he tried to shove his foot into his shoe while walking. He opened the door only to hesitate.

He ran back and grabbed his coat. Better avoid getting his mom mad. He made his way down the stairs barely stopping to take a breath. Just as he reached the door somebody stepped in front of it.

"Ah!" Jamie let out a yell as he almost crashed into his mom. He barely managed to come to a stop in front of her. "Mom?"

"Jamie? What do you think you're doing?" His mom asked him.

"Uh, hi mom. I was j-just going out. Y-you know for a walk." Jamie stuttered slightly. He swallowed nervously as he watched his mother's expression. He tried not to fidget as his mom stared at him incredulously. "You know exercise."

"So let me get this straight. You want to go out on a walk to exercise?" She crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Jamie let out a laugh trying to cover his nervousness. "Fine you got me. I'll probably end up playing with my friends." He lied. His mom observed him for a couple more seconds.

"Why didn't you just say that from the beginning?" She asked him.

"Well I do want to go out for a walk. Please mom?" He made sure to give her his best puppy eyes.

"All right, but I want you to stick to known areas. No talking to strangers or going to any unknown places, okay?" Jamie nodded.

"Thanks mom!" As he made his way forward his mom ruffled his hair. "Mom!" He let out a whine as he tried to act as normal as possible.

"Oh and zip up your jacket, I don't want you to get sick. And be back before dinner alright?" His mom looked at him expectantly. With a roll of his eyes he zipped up his jacket.

"Don't worry mom. I'll be back before dinner. Bye." He opened the door and as he was walking out he heard his mom yell out that she loved him. "Me too!"

He tried to walk normally knowing his mom could still see him from inside. Jamie broke into a run as soon as he was out of eyesight. The trees started to blur as he made his way to the forest. He was so excited to see the Guardians. The only thing he was wondering was why they wanted to see him. What could it be?

The cold wind stung but he ignored it and kept running. His feet fell into a steady rhythm as he ran. He made it to the forest in record time. Jamie walked a little closer to the edge of the forest. His breath was slightly visible as he gasped for air. His heart was pounding harshly against his chest as he walked around a bit. Sandy had said he would be here, right? After a couple of seconds he swallowed as he decided to take a chance.

"Sandy?" His voice sounded too loud as it echoed through the trees. Jamie winced and looked around nervously. "Are you here?"

Jamie stayed still waiting to see if Sandy would come out. When nothing happened he looked around just as something flew out the woods. He let out a slightly girlish scream as he fell backwards again. He looked up to see a bird fly off. Jamie let out a deep breath as he shook his head. Hopefully nobody had heard or seen that. As he climbed to his feet he heard a twig snap. His head snapped towards the noise.

"Sandy?" He asked anxiously. Another twig snapped and this time Jamie stepped backwards.

"Nah, it's the Easter Bunny." A familiar Australian accent made Jamie relax.

"Bunny. You scared me." Jamie walked forwards as Bunny came out_. _"Where's Sandy?"

"He went back with North and Jack. We decided that it would be better if I came and explained things to you before we meet up with the others. I know you're wondering why we wanted you to come here." Bunny explained as he stopped in front of him.

Jamie smiled at him, but his grin faltered when he realized what Bunny had said. "Wait. Did you say Jack? Who's Jack?"

He followed after Bunny who had started to walk into the forest. "That's why we're here. You know how in Easter we told you that we're fighting Pitch, the boogieman?" Jamie nodded, and Bunny continued. "Well as you know there's other beings like us, and Manny, he's the Man in Moon, told us that Pitch had one of those people in his hold. His name is Jack Frost."

Jamie processed what Bunny had said to him. He blinked in awe for a moment before a thought came into his mind. He frowned as he mouthed the name. That name sounded slightly familiar. Had he heard it somewhere?

"Oh I know, like that expression. Jack Frost nipping at your nose?" He asked.

Bunny chuckled as he stepped over a bigger rock. "Yeah, expect that he's real. He was chosen to be a Guardian but then we realized that we hadn't heard about him in a long time. We asked Manny what had happened to him. He told us that Pitch had, taken him. You know kidnapped." Bunny sounded slightly uncomfortable as he said the last sentence.

Jamie looked at him startled. Kidnapped? He couldn't imagine getting kidnapped by the boogieman. His mom had repeatedly told him of the dangers he could be at risk of. Which was why she always reminded him not to talk to strangers or to go with them. Jamie always took more precaution when he was with his sister. He didn't want anything to happen to Sophie.

"We managed to get him back but Pitch wasn't too happy about that. He attacked us at North's place and we barely managed to avoid Pitch leaving with Jack. We realized that that place isn't safe for him and we need to keep him out of Pitch's hand. So we came up with a temporarily solution." This time Bunny stopped and bent down so they were eye to eye.

"I know this is going to be a really big favor, and maybe it's selfish of us to ask you this but, we have no other choice. Jamie we need you to help us. We want Jack to stay with you while we go and attack Pitch. You don't have to, and it's okay to say no." Bunny told him.

Jamie let out a shaky breath. That was a lot to take in, in such a short time. The Guardians wanted Jack to stay in his house, while they went and defeated the Boogieman? He didn't know who Jack was but he knew that if he would have been kidnapped by Pitch he would want help.

"What are you kidding me? That's totally cool." Jamie gave him a large smile. Obviously Bunny had thought that there was a possibility that he was going to say no because he let out a relieved sigh.

"Thanks, you have no idea how much that helps us. Before we get there I have to warn you. First thing first, you have to believe in Jack to be able to see him." Bunny warned him as he ruffled his hair.

Jamie pouted as he fixed his hair. "I have to believe in him then?"

"Yeah, and when you see him it might be a bit of a shock. Let's just say that being with the boogieman for such a long time has its consequences. You know how when you're afraid how you act? Jack is like that. Pitch gave him lots of, um, nightmares. He also didn't treat him nicely. Try to take it easy and not do any big movements or talk loudly." Bunny seemed to be thinking as he got up.

Jamie pondered what Bunny had told him. He was really scared of things then? Could he actually be afraid of him? He didn't want to imagine what Pitch could have done to him.

"Is Pitch really mean then? He sounds like a bully." Jamie told him. To his surprise Bunny let out a chuckle.

"He wasn't always like that but now he's mean. Just think of him as a bully. He liked to push Jack around, and beat him up. That's why we have to protect him. I'm sure your mom would be proud if she knew what you were doing. Protecting somebody and helping them." Bunny's words made him blush. "He's a little beat up right now. Try and smile." Bunny told him as they kept walking.

Jamie followed closely. He didn't want to take a chance and get lost. As they kept walking he started to get even nervous. He felt his heart start pounding against his chest. What would Jack be like? Would he like him?

"We're almost there." Bunny told him.

Jamie nodded. He realized that they were getting near a frozen lake. As he stepped onto the lake, he finally noticed the Guardians standing by a _sleigh? _Was that a sleigh? As Bunny joined his side he looked around trying to find Jack. When he didn't see him he looked over at Bunny. He scooted a little closer to him.

"I-I don't see Jack. What if I can't see him?" He whispered to him. Bunny looked down at him. His eyes softened as he saw how nervous he looked.

"Don't worry. He's inside the sleigh. I can't see him either. Remember what I said, you have to believe in him to see him." Bunny reminded him.

Jamie relaxed. He had been so worried. The only thing he had to do was believe. He could do that. As they walked closer Jamie couldn't keep the smile off his face.

"Hey North and Sandy." He greeted them. As he looked around he realized that he couldn't see Tooth. He hadn't seen her on Easter either. Then again he had only seen Bunny, and Sandy. "Where's the Tooth Fairy?"

The Guardian's faces fell. An awkward silence fell over them. Jamie stared at them awkwardly. After a couple of seconds Bunny spoke up.

"The night that we woke you up we fought Pitch. Tooth protected Sandy and in the process she got hurt. She's healing right now." Bunny's voice was rough as he spoke.

Jamie inwardly winced. He hadn't known that. Bunny seemed to notice his discomfort. He motioned for him to come forward. North smiled at him while Sandy waved. As he got closer he couldn't help but admire the sleigh and the reindeer. He stared at it in wonder.

"Told you everybody loves the sleigh." North whispered to Sandy. Bunny snorted but didn't say anything.

"I'll help Jack out of the sleigh jut stand here. Just remember what I said." Bunny gave him a reassuring smile. He nodded and watched as Bunny slowly approached the sleigh. He made slow deliberate moves as he climbed in. From his angle he couldn't see Jack but he could see Bunny.

Jamie watched in amazement as his face softened even more and Bunny seemed to take on a harmless look. Bunny bent down and only his ears were visible. He could still hear everything Bunny was saying.

"Jack, he's here. I'm going to carry you down the sleigh. Sandy brought crutches along but I don't want you to use them unless it's necessary." Bunny's voice was soft and gentle. It sounded so different from what Jamie had ever heard.

He held back a snicker as he imagined a fluffy cute bunny. A second later Bunny rose and stretched his arms out. He seemed to be putting his arms under Jack. Jamie closed his eyes as Bunny started to rise. He believed in Jack. He was _real. _His eyes opened, and Jamie let out a sigh as he realized he could see Jack.

As Bunny walked out of the sleigh Jamie got his first look at Jack. Bunny was holding him close to his chest, and Jack seemed to have snuggled his head into his chest. He couldn't see his face but his white hair stuck out. His thin frame also stuck out. He couldn't help but notice how small and delicate he looked in Bunny's arms. He looked like a _child._

Jamie noticed the cast that he had on his leg. Could Pitch have done that to him? If he had then Jamie was glad he was going to help him. He didn't want Jack to get hurt again.

"Jack I'm going to put you down. I'll hold onto you so you don't fall, alright?" Jamie noticed how Jack flinched when Bunny spoke. He realized that he was going to have to be more careful. Jack nodded, and Bunny slowly bent down little by little so Jack's feet could touch the ground.

After a couple of moments Jack was finally standing up. Bunny kept his arm behind Jack in case he stumbled. Jack wobbled slightly as he tried to keep his balance. After a he made sure he wouldn't topple over Jack kept the pressure off his bad leg. One thin arm wrapped around his chest and Jamie could see the bandages that were wrapped around it. After a couple of seconds where they watched him, Jack finally raised his head.

Jamie's eyes widened as he took in his face. He looked like he had boxed. One eye was swollen, black and purple bruising covering the area around it. His nose had white tape on it, and it was also bruised. Jack's cheek was slightly red, almost as if somebody had slapped him. As his eyes traveled around his face he accidently crossed eyes with Jack.

His beautiful blue eyes drew him in for a second. He hadn't seen blue eyes like his before. Especially with white hair. For a moment the only thing they did was stare at each other. From the corner of his eye Jamie saw the other two Guardians scoot a little closer. When the staring got uncomfortable he did the only thing that came into mind.

He smiled.

Jack's reaction was instantaneous. His eyes widened and his mouth opened. His eyes were full of disbelief. When Jack stayed like that Jamie swallowed. What should he say?

"Um, hi." He mentally slapped himself. Out of all the things to say. "My name is Jamie."

He stared at Jack. His eyes were looking him over almost like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. When he realized that he really was there he gasped.

"C-can you s-see me?" His voice trembled but Jamie could hear the hope in it. He gave him a smile as he nodded.

Jack's eyes widened even more and tears started to form. Bewildered, Jamie looked at Bunny. Why was he crying? Was it because he was helping him? But he seemed so surprised when he had asked him if he could see him. Was it because he could see him? Wait. Bunny had told him something about them being invisible if children didn't believe in them. So was that why Jack was so surprised? Was it because nobody believed in him?

"Y-you can see me." Jack's voice was full of disbelief. For a moment his eyes were full of joy and happiness. He seemed to transform in front of Jamie. "I-I can't believe i-it."

Jamie not knowing what else to do just continued to smile. He could feel the other Guardians staring at them. What else should he say? Should he even say anything? What if he made it worse?

He watched Jack crack a small genuine smile. He wasn't sure he had ever seen somebody so happy. As he continued to watch him, his smile became less forced. Something about him made him feel relaxed, and safe. Taking a small risk he took a small step forward. When Jack didn't react he took another, and anther until he was about a foot away. Now that he was closer he could see the injuries that littered his face.

"You're Jack Frost aren't you?" Jamie asked softly. To his surprise Jack tensed and his eyes flashed with fear.

"Y-yes." His voice was so quiet even with him standing in front of him.

"I'm Jamie. Bunny told me that you'll be staying with me for a bit." He said. Jack finally seemed to notice that the other Guardians were there. Especially that Bunny was so close to him. He seemed to shrink into himself. Jack even more defenseless.

"I-I'm sorry. I-I didn't mean t-to." His voice started to die off. Jack's eyes were staring intently at the floor. Jamie looked up at the Guardians questioningly.

"It's alright mate. You're going to stay with Jamie for a bit. Maybe you'll even be able to get another believer. Jamie's sister will be thrilled to meet you." Bunny said. Jack's head snapped up. He looked at him in shock. Confusion was written all over his face.

Jamie looked at Bunny in relief. "Yeah, Sophie would love to meet you. I should probably warn you that she's really clingy."

Jack looked completely confused. His eyes were darting around as he stare at all of them. For a moment Jamie was scared he was going to faint. Jack looked even paler than he had been a couple of minutes ago. When he looked closer he realized that he was starting to breath faster. He didn't know much about health but he was sure that wasn't good.

"Uh, Jack are you okay?" Jamie asked. He watched him flinch but, he still nodded.

"Jamie's right. You're starting to hyperventilate." Bunny started to rub Jack's back. Jamie recognized it as a relaxing gesture. He had seen his mom do the same thing to Sophie on multiple occasions. "Just breathe."

Once Jack seemed to be able to breathe Bunny motioned to North. North stared at him for a moment before it dawned on him. He fumbled inside his coat for a couple of seconds before taking something out from his pocket. He walked closer until he stopped in front him.

"This is for emergencies only. In case something happens and we aren't there use this. Just throw it and say the place you want to go. Hopefully it won't come to that but if it does use it." North stared at him with a serious expression. He nodded and took the object.

He stared at it for a moment before placing it in his pocket. "Don't worry. I'll take care of it and I'll only use it in case of an emergency."

North seemed satisfied and smacked him on his shoulder in a friendly pat. North didn't seem to realize how much force he had put into that pat. Jamie stumbled forward and crashed into Jack. He managed to avoid knocking Jack over but he still bumped into him. For a moment he looked into Jack's surprised eyes before he bounced back. He went backwards slipping on the surface of the lake. Jamie let out a startled yell as he went rushing towards the ground. Out of instinct he brought his arms out hoping to grab onto anything that would stop his fall.

A hand wrapped around his, while another one wrapped around the lower part of his other arm. When he didn't feel any pain Jamie opened his eyes. Standing in front of him with his arms stretched out was Jack. With a start he realized that Jack was the one that had saved him. Jack's eyes were focused on him and there was an intensity to them that startled him.

"Are you okay?" There was no trace of fear or panic in his voice.

Slightly dumbfounded he nodded. With Jack's help he got back up. The other Guardian's faces mirrored his. All of them looked as startled and amazed as him.

"Thanks." He managed to say. His heart was still beating fast and he was a little dazed.

Jack nodded before stepping back to where he had originally been. At that moment he realized all the Guardians were staring at him. All the seriousness was gone in an instant and he immediately started apologizing. Bunny cut him off and told him there was nothing wrong with what he had done. It took a couple of seconds but Jack finally stopped shaking.

"All right I think it's safe to say that we can get going. I'll help carry him back to your house." Bunny said. Jamie nodded.

"Bye you guys. I hope Tooth gets better." He looked at the two Guardians. Sandy came up to him and shook his hand. A smile adorned his face as he went over to the sleigh. North also came over. To his relief he didn't pat him again. He simply thanked him before walking over to the sleigh.

"Jack I'm going to have to carry you. Jamie could you grab the crutches. We'll take them just in case." Bunny nodded to the sleigh.

Jamie complied and walked carefully to the sleigh. Sandy was ready and handed him the crutches. Jamie smiled and grabbed them. Bunny had picked up Jack again and was getting comfortable. He made his way to Bunny with the crutches in hand. Bunny nodded and they made their way back. The silence that surrounded them as they made their way back to his house was slightly tense.

As they got closer to his house Jamie realized that he couldn't go inside with crutches.

"Um Bunny I can't go inside with crutches. My mom would have a heart attack if she saw me come in with these." He gestured to the crutches.

Bunny nodded in understanding. "Leave them outside. I'll come back for them."

Jamie didn't understand him but he did it anyway. He left them on the grass out of sight. Swallowing he walked up to the door. For a second he hesitated as he grabbed the key. A gentle nudge encouraged him and he stuck the key in. After a second the door opened. He stuck his head inside and was relieved to find the hallway empty. He opened the door completely so Bunny could fit.

As soon as they were inside Jamie closed the door. "Follow me." He whispered before leading the way to his room. They were on the way up the stairs when his mom stuck her head out.

"Jamie? Is that you?" She asked. For a moment he froze but then he remembered that she couldn't see Bunny and Jack.

"Yeah, I'm back. I'm going to my room." He answered. His mom agreed and her head disappeared. Jamie let out a sigh before continuing up the stairs. They got to his room without any more interruptions. He was slightly worried that Sophie would end up crashing into them. He wanted to make sure that she didn't scare Jack.

Bunny walked over to his bed and placed Jack on one side. Jack scooted back clutching his side. His face was slightly scrunched up in pain. Jamie stared at him in concern. Bunny also seemed to notice but he didn't say anything.

"I'll go get the crutches." Bunny tapped his foot and a second late he disappeared. Jamie stared at the place where Bunny had been a couple of seconds ago in shock.

"Woah." He muttered. Jamie turned back around to Jack. His face was starting to twist even more in pain. "Are you okay? You look like you're in pain."

Jack looked up at him. "It's okay. I just s-strained my side a bit."

Jamie looked at him suspiciously but didn't say anything. A hole opened up in his floor and a second later Bunny popped up. In his hands were the crutches. He winked at Jamie as he walked over to the bed, and placed them next to it.

"Well I think it's time for me to leave now. Try to take it easy Jack. We'll be back for you it's a temporary situation." Bunny looked at Jack who was starting to quiver on the bed.

"Remember to use the globe only in an emergency. It should only be for a day or two. Thank you again Jamie." A smug smirk appeared on his face.

"Oh and nice _scream_ by the way." With that Bunny disappeared before Jamie had time to respond. His face turned a dark crimson.

"That was sudden." He looked over at Jack who was also staring at the spot where Bunny had been.

When he didn't respond Jamie realized that maybe this would be more difficult than he had originally thought.

* * *

**So maybe a bit of the old Jack is still in there. At least for the children. Maybe things will get better with Jack**_**. H**_**aha Bunny, teasing Jamie like that.**** All the support is welcomed and appreciated. And sorry for the longer wait.**


	17. Plan

** Well time to see what's going to happen with Jack and Jamie. I'm so amazed at your guy's encouragement and support! And I wanted to say Happy Birthday to my sister. She might be annoying and snotty at times but at the end of the day I know I can trust her. **

** Disclaimer: Still don't own ROTG.**

* * *

He was aware of the stares that Jamie kept throwing his way every couple of seconds. Looking up from beneath his bangs, he knew there would be less chance of them meeting eyes. Jamie was sitting on the edge of the bed looking slightly uncomfortable. He kept glancing at him and then looking away. Jack looked away as Jamie glanced his way and instead looked down at his legs.

"Uh, you can have my bed. Bunny said you were hurt, so I think it would be a good idea if you slept on the bed. Just get comfortable. If you need pillows or anything just ask me." Jamie finally spoke.

He looked up surprised at how generous he was being. "Y-you don't have to. I can sleep on the floor. I don't want you to take your b-bed."

Jamie stared at him and he shifted as he stared at him for a moment. "Don't worry about it. You're injured."

"Thank you." After a second he added. "Where will you sleep?"

"Um, I could go to my parent's room and tell them I couldn't sleep well." Jamie shrugged.

"You don't h-have to do that. I c-can move over a bit." To prove his point he moved to the side.

Jamie let a small laugh. "Fine. But I have to tell you that I like to move around a lot."

He found his mouth twitching upwards. Feeling more relaxed he carefully stretched his leg out until it was comfortable. Jack leaned back on the pillows being mindful of his ribs. Jamie watched him as he crossed his legs.

"Is your hair naturally white?" The question made him freeze and look up at Jamie in shock. Jamie's face slowly turned red. "Wait, I-I didn't mean to ask like that!"

He watched as Jamie started to stutter. A faint smile appeared. "Yeah, i-it's always been white. It's usually a brighter color but it's d-dirty."

Jamie didn't seem to notice how he stumbled over that last word, and if he did, he didn't say anything. He couldn't tell him that his once sparkly white hair had slowly turned an ugly dull grey. But now that Jamie had told him about his hair he realized somebody must have cleaned his hair.

"That's cool. It fits you. They match your eyes." This time it was his face that got warm. He could imagine his face turning red.

Was that a compliment? He had never been complemented before. Pitch had never e_ver _complimented him. Instead he always found something to insult him with. His words were sharper than any knife. They cut deep, and it _hurt. _The wounds never healed, instead Pitch seemed to add salt to them. He seemed to drag and twist the knife into him.

"Do you have any sort of power?" Innocent eyes stared back at him snapping him out of his dark thoughts.

"I-I do. I-I can make it snow, and make frost. I can also f-fly. I can only do that with my s-staff though." He somehow managed not to stutter too much.

Jamie looked at him, and then around him. "Uh, can I ask you where your staff is?"

He looked down but nodded. "P-Pitch took it away from me when he grabbed me. I-I haven't s-seen it since. But I think it's broken."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Why do you think it's broken?" Jamie scratched the back of his neck. His eyes were staring at him with curiosity.

"I-it's connected to m-me." He swallowed. "I felt when he b-broke it."

Jamie eyes widened, and his mouth formed an o. The silence stretched out until Jack thought of something. He licked his lips as he complemented what he was thinking. Finally coming to a decision he let out a silent breath before moving his legs over the edge. He saw Jamie look up at him the question already forming on his lips. His feet touched the ground and he forced himself up from the bed.

"Watch this." He ignored the crutches and hobbled over to the wall. Jamie twisted on the bed trying to see what he was doing. He ignored the small trickle of fear that tried to make its way into his mind as he placed his hand on the wall. Closing his eyes he concentrated on feeling his power. After a second he felt it, pulsing through his veins. Coldness spread through his hand as frost sprung out.

Jamie let out a gasp and shot up from the bed. He was at his side a second later. Jamie's eyes widened as he lifted a hand and touched the frost. He watched a little wary as Jamie's fingers traced it. A small part of him expected him to be disgusted and tell him it was the ugliest thing he had ever seen.

"Wow. This is so cool." Jamie's voice was filled with excitement, and all the previous doubt he had disappeared. He turned his head and looked at him. "Is that all you can do?"

He shook his head. With a bit more concentration he called on more of his power. It took him a bit longer but after a couple of seconds snow started coming down. To his surprise he felt the power come easier than when he had been at the Warren. He didn't know if it was because he didn't have Pitch breathing down his neck, or maybe because he actually wanted to do it. Whatever the reason was once he managed to get the snow going it didn't tire him.

"You're making it snow. In my room." Jamie did a full spin. When the snow touched his face he laughed.

As he watched Jamie the fear that had been there slowly started to disappear. Instead that feeling was replaced with another one that he couldn't figure out. It made all the negative feelings go away, and he was no longer covered in the heaviness that was always present. He felt like smiling, like _laughing_. It was something he hadn't felt in such a long time.

Feeling a bit more daring he let frost spread out across the floor. A sense of freedom appeared. When was the last time he was allowed to do that? A small grin formed on his face. He was able to use his power, and he wasn't getting in trouble. The frost on the floor seemed to _glow._

"I just had an awesome idea. You know how I have a younger sister? I can get her to believe in you. That way you can have another believer." Jamie turned to look at him. His eyes were full of excitement. "I'll go get her. I hope you don't mind."

He stared at him in shock. He wanted to get more believers for him? Why? Why would Jamie want his sister to associate with him? But the longer he looked at Jamie, who was so excited, the less he could bring himself to disagree.

"It's fine." He gave Jamie a small encouraging smile. Jamie beamed and told him to wait a moment while he went and got Sophie. He watched Jamie leave the room, and close the door behind him. Now that he was alone everything that had happened to him suddenly seemed to crash down on him. His knees wobbled as all the strength left him. What was he doing?

Why was he allowing himself to get taken away from Pitch? He knew the consequences and yet he was still disobeying him. He had even gotten a believer. Pitch had never said the punishment for that because he had never believed that he would get a believer. At this point he was sure Pitch would do something even worse than he had ever done before. Maybe he would even end up dying.

At this point the thought of dying no longer scared him as much as it had at first. Sometimes with all the pain and suffering he went through he actually _wanted _to die. It would end everything. All the sadness, pain, and guilt it would go away. When he was knocked unconscious it would go away for a bit. His sleep was always plagued with nightmares and sometimes sleeping was worse than being awake.

The fear he woke up with was suffocating and it drowned him. Nothing could stop him from trembling like a leaf. That fear was so raw, like his throat when he woke up screaming. Now he was disobeying Pitch. He still had no idea what Pitch had done to him, and a small part of him didn't want to know. He placed a hand on the wall to steady himself. Sooner or later Pitch was going to find him. It was only a matter of time.

And that _scared _him.

He didn't get to dwell on his thoughts any longer because at that moment Jamie entered the room with his little sister in tow. Jack straightened up and cocked his head to the side as he watched Sophie. Her blond hair was tangled as if she had been running around. She was slightly behind Jamie and he was in front of her in an almost protective form. He was sure Jamie didn't even realize that he was doing that. A small grin tugged on his face.

"Sophie this is Jack." Jaime gestured towards him.

He glanced at her nervously. What if she didn't believe in him? It had already been a miracle that Jamie had. His eyes met hers and a happy laugh bubbled out of her. Her mouth stretched out into a wide grin showing her teeth. Without any warning she ran forward and wrapped her arms around his leg. He stumbled backwards slightly but he managed to avoid toppling over.

"Opmh." He raised his arms in surprise. She didn't pass through him like he had feared, instead she had her arms wrapped tightly around his non-injured leg. A small relieved sigh escaped his lips. Even with the fact that the Guardians could actually touch him, a child being able to touch him was different. It meant that they _believed _in him.

"Sophie! What did I tell you? Jack's injured, you have to be careful." Jamie looked at him apologetically.

"It's fine. She didn't hurt me." He looked down at the little girl. His eyes watered slightly as he stared at her. Sophie's face was nuzzled into his leg and her arms went around his leg all the way. With a shaky hand he patted her head. His eyes flickered over at Jamie to see if he could do this but he was already on the bed. His legs were crossed and his eyes were closed.

"Jack! Jack!" Sophie shouted. Her eyes shined with innocence that had long gone for him. "Carry me."

He blinked in surprise but nodded. "Alright, hold on tight."

With a bit of effort he grabbed her and picked her up. He wasn't exactly sure what to do with her so he cradled her with his arm, and brought her to his chest like Bunny had done with him. He held her firmly making sure she wouldn't fall. Sophie stretched her arm out and her fingers gently brushed against his eye. He winced slightly.

"Jack hurt." Her head titled to the side. "It hurt?"

"Just a little bit." He answered, offering her a small smile. She smiled back. Her eyes wondered around his face. They stopped as they saw his hair. She reached for it and pulled a strand of hair. Sophie giggled and pulled it again.

"White! White like snow." Sophie clapped her hands together. Her enthusiasm was starting to rub off on him as he shook his head slightly tickling her arms with his hair. She let out another giggle that made him chuckle. Sophie lowered her arms and instead wrapped them around his neck. She shivered.

"It's cold." He looked away guiltily. She was right. He only brought cold.

"I'm sorry. I'm the one that's making you cold." He limped towards the bed where Jamie had been observing them.

"Don't worry. She's kind of heavy so you can put her down if you want to." Jamie moved his legs and instead crossed them.

He nodded and sat down carefully. Sophie moved until she got comfortable in his lap. Once she got comfortable he placed his arms around her. She giggled and leaned her back onto his chest. Her eyes were barley seeable through her hair.

"Now that we're all here I have a very important thing we need to discuss." Jamie's voice was serious. Out of instinct he raised his head to listen to him. He had come to associate that that tone of voice meant he had to listen.

"We have to come up with a reason for me not to go to school tomorrow."

* * *

Bunny moved his head to the side as he looked at the trees. His thoughts drifted back to Jack. Would he be okay? What would he do if he started to feel pain? They hadn't given Jamie any medicine for that. He should have thought about that but he hadn't had any time to prepare. Bunny had been shoved into the infirmary and he hadn't been allowed to even try to escape. He scowled slightly as he remembered how Sandy had threatened to restrain him if he didn't get his head checked out.

Even now he could feel Sandy's worried eyes staring at him. Bunny knew that it just wasn't about his injuries, it was also about Jack. He was worried about what all this was doing to him. Bunny knew he couldn't answer that question not when even _he _didn't know how it was affecting him.

"Bunny are you sure your head is okay?" North asked him. There was a soft edge to his eyes that made Bunny answer truthfully.

"It just hurts a bit from moving so much but I'll live." Bunny shrugged.

North raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. Instead he just nodded and sat down in front of them. Sandy who was next to him decided to take the initiative. A picture of Pitch appeared followed by footsteps and a magnifying glass.

"Sandy's right. We have to figure out a way to find Pitch." Bunny leaned back, and watched North nod.

"I have been thinking on how to do that, and I think that if we follow the Nightmares it should help guide us to where Pitch is." North offered.

"That's a good idea. We're just going to have to find a pair of Nightmares." Bunny crossed his arms. How would they find them? They could just wait until they saw them leave the child's room, and then they could follow them?

Sandy raised his hand getting their attention. A picture of a child's bed with a Nightmare next to it appeared. Bunny nodded.

"That's what I was thinking. We're just going to have to wait until a Nightmare leaves a child's room to follow it." Bunny didn't want to think about the fact that they were going to have to let the Nightmare do its job.

"All right then let's get to work." North got up and walked towards the reins. Bunny let out a moan and gripped the edge of the sleighs. He didn't want to imagine what it would feel like with a concussion.

"North go easy on the reins. I'm injured." Bunny tried not to cringe at the fact that he had actually said that.

North turned back for a moment. "What? Do you think I forgot?"

Bunny might have believed him if it weren't for the smirk that he was trying to hide. As a last resort he turned towards Sandy. He was staring at them clearly unamused. With a shake of his head he turned towards North and gave him a pointed look. North's eyes widened and he held his hands up trying to look innocent.

"I was going to go nice and easy." North offered. Sandy only raised an eyebrow, and North sighed in defeat. "Fine I won't do any loops or tricks."

Bunny glared at him but North ignored him and instead focused on getting the sleigh up into the sky. Despite the fact that he was doing it gently his head started to hurt. He brought a hand to his head and tried to get rid of the pain. Bunny winced at how tender his head was. Even if it wasn't wrapped up like Sandy had wanted it to be.

He had managed to avoid it by instead changing the attention to Jack. It had kind of worked, if he excluded the dirty glare Sandy had given him. And if the knowing look Sandy was giving him was anything to go by then he was still bitter about it. Bunny gave him a small sheepish smile.

"It's fine Sandy. Like I said it just hurts a bit, but that's _expected _when North's the one that has the reins." Bunny watched as North shot him a glare.

"Very funny. We're going to a place where it's already dark so hold on." North advised as he reached into his coat.

Bunny grabbed the edge again, his nails digging into the wood. He clenched his eyes shut as the horrible feeling intensified. His mouth formed into a deep frown. Almost as quickly that feeling disappeared but the sensation stayed. He waited a couple of moments as he slowly undug his nails from the wood. Bunny opened his eyes to see the damage. Thankfully North didn't notice but that didn't stop Sandy from shooting him an amused look.

He shrugged innocently and looked around to see where they were. It was night, and all the stars were visible. Bunny watched as they sparkled, admiring how they looked so beautiful. He jerked violently to the right as North tried to land the sleigh. Bunny let out a yelp as he slid down the seat, and crashed into a silently laughing Sandy.

"North didn't I tell you to be careful?" Bunny shouted as he tried not to squish Sandy. There was another jolt as they landed on the ground.

North shrugged. "It was necessary. I managed to land safely."

Bunny shot him daggers as he pushed himself off of Sandy. He grabbed his bandaged arm and checked it to make sure it hadn't started to bleed. Once he was satisfied that it was fine he decided to get up slowly. Even when he got up slowly the world started to spin. He stumbled and a hand immediately steadied him.

"Bunny, are you alright?" North asked.

"Yeah, I just got up to fast." He answered, but North didn't let go of him.

Bunny waited until the world stopped spinning to take another step forward. When nothing happened he shrugged North off. He took another step forward as he stepped off the sleigh. Sandy was next to him in case he fell. Bunny rolled his eyes but didn't say anything. He knew Sandy well enough that he knew he shouldn't say anything.

North stopped behind him waiting for him to keep walking. Bunny strolled forward forgetting how dizzy he had been a moment ago. He kept walking forward until he reached the edge of the roof. Bunny stopped there until Sandy started to fidget. He tried to ignore it but he could practically feel the panic waving off of them. He sighed and backed away from the ledge. Sandy and North both let out relieved sighs at the same time. Trying not to glare at them he focused instead on the houses.

All the houses were dark and only the streetlights illuminated the streets. It looked like the perfect place for Nightmares to be roaming. It would just be a matter of patience, even though they didn't have a lot of time. He just hoped that it wouldn't take too much time. After all they had to go back to Jack.

North and Sandy took the hint and they each went to one side to keep a lookout from there. Bunny kept his gaze on his side looking for any movements. He stayed like that until the air turned chilly, and his breathe was visible. Bunny shivered and wrapped his arms around himself trying to stay warm. Just as he was ready to start walking around to keep warm he saw something move.

Bunny narrowed his eyes and focused on the area where he had seen it move. The Nightmare was barely noticeable as it moved around the shadows. It wasn't until a part of it moved into the light that he confirmed that it was in fact a Nightmare.

"North. Sandy." He whispered. Only Sandy turned around and nodded before moving to go tell North. Bunny turned back around to keep a close eye on the Nightmare. It was there only clue to finding Pitch. They couldn't lose this chance.

The Nightmare finally flew out to the open and into the sky. He turned around to see North already getting the sleigh ready. Bunny wasted no time and ran towards the sleigh. Sandy was floating in the air. He motioned to the Nightmare before flying after it. Bunny nodded and climbed onto the sleigh. In any other instance he would have complained about getting on but instead he only clung on for dear life.

North's takeoff was almost as bad as his landing, and it had Bunny paling dramatically. He felt his head throb as he slammed into the back of the seat. Bunny groaned and instead tried to concentrate on the stars. Now that they were up in the sky it didn't feel as bad. In fact the stars seemed to shine even more now that he was closer.

"We'll follow Sandy from a distance. We don't want to alert the Nightmare." North told him.

"That's a good idea." Bunny said. Now that he was a bit calmer he looked straight ahead. He could see Sandy's golden color a good distance ahead. As long as they didn't lose track of him they would be fine.

They followed him a good distance to the point where Bunny actually managed to get in a somewhat comfortable position. They had only done a couple of turns, sometimes to the right or left. Bunny never looked down. He was sure he would have a panic attack if he did. Instead he only looked ahead or down at his legs.

It was only when he felt North start to slow down that he risked a quick glance downwards. They were nearing a forest and he felt his heart clench. They were near where they had left Jack. He silently prayed that this was a mistake, and that Pitch's lair wasn't really that close to Jack. At this point they could have put Jack in even _more _danger.

Was that the reason why Jack had gotten even more stressed when they had neared the forest? Because he knew that Pitch was near? He glanced at North who had shared a look with him. Bunny could see the same thoughts running through his mind. If that was the case then they really needed to take down Pitch.

"Hold on Bunny. This might be a bit of a rough landing considering I have to do this in a closed space." North advised. "I'm going to land this away from where Sandy is. We're going to have to walk."

Bunny nodded but then remembered that North couldn't see him. "That's fine. Just don't kill us."

North let out a laugh, and almost as if to mess with him he snapped the reins. The reindeer responded immediately and went down. Bunny cut off a small scream and grabbed onto the edge for dear life. He closed his eyes not wanting to see how fast they were going down. A sharp twist made him slide on the seats. Bunny stretched his legs trying to stop himself from moving. Another sharp twist made him jerk forward.

This time his eyes opened and only widened in alarm as he saw how they were going straight down into the trees. He blanched. Bunny was going to kill North after this. That was if he didn't die right now. Time seemed to slow down as North somehow made the sleigh turn at a certain angle and then fit into a small clearing. The edge of the sleigh still hit a tree and Bunny was sent forward.

He brought his hands up as he crashed onto the floor. Shots of pain went up his arm, and he felt something warm trickle underneath the bandages. To his dismay his head hit the floor again, and stars danced across his vision. Bunny groaned as he slide across the floor when the sleigh pulled back. His back hit the seats, and pain blossomed. As they hit the ground Bunny flew in the air for a second before hitting the floor _again._

He was _definitely _going to kill North.

"Bunny. Bunny, are you okay?" North pushed him off his face. He opened his eyes trying to focus on North's blurry face. His head _hurt. _So did his arm but right now the pain that was going through his skull was more prominent.

"Bunny can you hear me?" North asked him. There was worry enlaced into his words. Bunny forced out something akin to a yes. As he looked at North he was no longer blurry.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" North raised his hand. Bunny stared at him incredulously but when he saw how serious North was he looked at his hand.

"Four." He muttered. "I think I'm fine. I just got shaken up."

North helped him sit up slowly. "You're not fine. Your arm is bleeding."

Now that he mentioned it he remembered how he had felt something warm. Bunny glanced down and saw red staining the bandage. His wound had opened again. He sighed. There wasn't anything else he could do but wrap it up again.

"Here let me wrap it in a new bandage." North didn't wait for an answer and started to unwrap it. He hissed softly as he pulled it off completely. North looked at him apologetically but didn't say anything. While North got the extra bandage from his pocket Bunny observed his arm. The cut hadn't been deep enough for it to need stitches but it still had been pretty deep. Fresh blood oozed from the wound and Bunny reached into his pouch for a cloth. Once he found one he wiped the blood off.

"We have to find Sandy and make sure we don't lose him." Bunny said as North bandaged his arm.

"Don't worry. We are done here anyways but I don't know if you should come. You are injured." North got up.

"We don't have an option. If we're going to defeat Pitch then we need all three of us." Bunny also got up and before North could stop him he stepped off the sleigh. "Now come on we're wasting time."

North sighed. "All right."

Bunny followed North who lead him in the direction where Sandy had been going. He made sure not to fall behind. The last thing he needed was to confirm what North had said. As they kept walking Bunny was starting to think that they had lost Sandy. Just as he was about to ask North he stopped. Bunny barely came to a stop behind him. He looked over his shoulder and saw that Sandy was only a couple of feet ahead.

He had noticed them and was motioning for them to come closer. North nodded and walked quietly to him. Bunny following his lead. Once all three of them were together Sandy pointed in front of them. Bunny followed his finger and watched as the Nightmare approached a bed post that was on top of a hole. He leaned forward a bit only to have his knees wobble. Bunny fumbled and grabbed onto the tree as he tried not to fall forward. He only succeeded in shaking the bush that was in front of them. He felt North grab him and pull him back but it was too late.

The Nightmare's head snapped to where they were.

* * *

**Err, sorry about the longer wait. This time I suffered the **_**dreaded **_**writer's block. Haha, I managed to get my ideas flowing again by the end. I'm also excited because I'm getting close to my one year anniversary. I'm going to try and type up the next chapter to post it up on that day. Well anyways I hope it wasn't too terrible. Comments make my day.**


	18. Burning Hate

** I'm so sad, my vacation is coming to an end. Yikes I won't be able to sleep in anymore. Ugh, oh well, I'll use my free time to keep writing a new chapter. I do apologize for the wait. It seems like I don't know how to manage my time, haha.**

** My bad I didn't answer any of the comments last chapter. I wanted to thank **_**Wubtastical. **_**Your criticism isn't dumb it's actually something I'm trying to work on. I'm glad you took the time to give me some pointers. I'll try to work harder on that, and hopefully in the future you'll keep giving me advice:)**

** Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

* * *

To say that North and Sandy glared at him was an understatement. If looks could kill then he'd be died by now. Bunny let out an irritated sigh as he watched the Nightmare disappear down the hole. He had no doubt that that Nightmare was going to go get reinforcements. This was a setback. They hadn't expected to fight outside. Their plan had been to wait until they were inside to start fighting.

"Bunny I told you that it would be better if you stayed at the sleigh." North immediately chided him.

He groaned. "Look, I _stumbled. _That could have happened to anybody."

North didn't bat an eyelash much to his dismay. "You clearly stumbled because you were injured."

"Either way it's too late for reproaches. You know we need all the help we can get. We're already down one. Especially considering the fact that that Nightmare is going to go get reinforcements." Bunny crossed his arms.

He watched as North shook his head. "We have no choice right now. Can you even fight in your condition?"

He knew North was certain that he was going to get more injuries. Bunny was _certain _that they would probably target him, but there was no way he was going to admit that.

"I'll hold my own weight." He replied. North opened his mouth to reply but Sandy silenced him by placing his hand on his arm. He pointed towards the hole, a Nightmare followed by an X appeared over his head. They both turned away from each other to look at the entrance. Bunny sighed as he watched Nightmare after Nightmare emerge from the hole. Soon Nightmares were surrounding the hole that was no longer visible.

"Looks like we're going to have to fight now." Bunny shrugged nonchalantly, and reached for his boomerangs. His fingers wrapped around them as he tugged them out. North already had his weapons out, and Sandy had his whips in his hands. He knew they were at a disadvantage. The trees wouldn't let his boomerangs work at full potential. There was also a possibility that Sandy could have trouble.

"You're right it's too late now. They here. Our best chance is to move out into the open." North motioned for them to move forward.

They nodded and stepped forward until they were out in the clearing. All the Nightmares followed them attentively until they came to a stop. Bunny kept a keen eye on them observing for any movement that would alert him that they were going to attack. The Nightmares however didn't move an inch instead they just kept their eyes on them.

Something was wrong.

None of them were moving. Their heads were down and they were snorting _but _they weren't _moving. _He gripped his boomerangs tighter as he watched them standing unnaturally still. The only thing they did was lower their heads and snort. Bunny started to get unnerved.

"Why aren't they attacking?" Bunny finally asked.

"I think their waiting for something." North answered him. Almost as if to prove his point the Nightmares slowly started to move to the side as somebody came in through the middle. Pitch came strolling down, his scythe already in his hand.

Bunny smirked smugly as he saw his face. Pitch's eyebrow was swollen and red. The memory of him hitting Pitch with his boomerang came into his mind. His smirk got wider and smugger.

"What happened to your face?" He quirked an eyebrow in mock concern. "Personally I think it makes you look a bit manly. Something you lack."

Pitch snarled in rage. His face twisting into something that resembled a monster. The forest seemed to darken drastically, and it became eerily quiet. Shadows spread across the floor with the edges coming out in sharp edges. Bunny tensed as the air turned thick. He knew the others could feel it too.

"You're going to regret doing that." Pitch's voice was cold, and sharp like daggers. His face went back to its normal calm façade. He continued walking until he was directly besides all the Nightmares. "In _fact _you're going to regret ever thinking you could defeat me. But you're mostly going to regret taking away Jack."

His name made Bunny's eyes flash. "_You're _going to regret ever laying a hand on him."

Pitch stared at him amused. "Really? I think we both know here that you can't act like I'm the only one who had something to do with this. If I remember right who let all this happen? Who was the one that ignored a _plead?_"

"I know I didn't help him when he needed help but I'm going to at least stop him from getting more hurt." Bunny tried to ignore the way Pitch was messing with him. He had already done that once, and he wasn't willing to do it again.

"So stopping him from getting hurt is going to make it all better? Is it going to fix everything?" Pitch's tone was mocking. "Is it going to fix your guilt?"

Bunny didn't give him the satisfaction of taking the bait. The only thing he did was give him an icy glare. Pitch simply shrugged.

"All right then you can continue acting like you're another poor innocent victim." Pitch gripped his scythe tighter before all the Nightmares sprung forward.

They all acted instantaneously. Bunny brought forward his boomerang and blocked the Nightmare that came straight at him. It dissolved just as another one snapped its jaws at him. He chucked his boomerang at it and caught it as it came back. Bunny got no time to breathe as three more jumped at him.

He ducked avoiding a kick to the head that would have knocked him unconscious, and threw his boomerangs. With a kick he eliminated the third one. Bunny took the small break to look around. Sandy was trying to get to Pitch but there was a horde around him preventing him. North was at the other side eliminating his own batch of Nightmares. All of them were being pushed away from each other.

No.

They were being pushed away from _him._

Now that he realized it most of the Nightmares were coming his way. They were attacking him in small groups. Intent on bringing him down. He didn't know if it was because he was injured or because Pitch wanted him died. He decided it was probably the latter.

He tried to call out to Sandy and North but the Nightmares attacking him wouldn't let him. They kept trying to bite him and kick him in the head. It seemed that for every one he eliminated three more would take its place. They were overwhelming him. Bunny rolled on the ground trying to avoid getting knocked out when a Nightmare jumped on his back.

He let out a small yelp and started hitting it with his boomerang. As more Nightmares approached him trying to take advantage of the situation, he threw an egg bomb. It exploded taking out a couple of Nightmares but the majority just scooted back. With a final hit he managed to eliminate the one on his back. Using his agility he jumped back to his feet.

With that bomb he managed to create a bit of time. Without hesitating he tapped his foot and moved back as his warrior eggs came out. They were still slightly damaged from the incident at his lair but they were still of help.

He let out a relieved sigh as they immediately started to take out the Nightmares. The amount of Nightmares attacking him was still the same but now that he had extra help he wasn't in such a tight spot. Bunny could now hear the grumblings that meant that North had also gotten help. He could imagine the yetis going around destroying Nightmares, while the elves managed to take at least a couple down.

With the amount of Nightmares attacking him smaller, he started to make his way towards North. Bunny could see him at the edge of the trees. He slashed through all the Nightmares that got in his way. Only a couple got some lucky hits in but the majority he managed to dodge. It still seemed that bringing him down was there main objective. Even if it was less than before there was still more Nightmares attacking him than anybody else.

As he kicked a Nightmare down another one bit him in his ankle. Bunny let out a pained cry as he tried to shake it off. The only thing he got was a kick in the back that brought him crashing down to the floor. He managed to bring his arms out to break his fall. Black dots littered his vision as his head bounced off the ground. Bunny went to hit it with his boomerang only to realize that he had dropped it on his way down. He huffed in annoyance and instead tried hitting it with his paws.

It didn't work. Instead he got another sharp kick this time in his ribs by another Nightmare. He grunted as he tried to grab his boomerang that was of his reach. Bunny stretched out of his arm as much as he could. His fingertips grazed his boomerang but it was still too far. Using both arms he dragged his body forward.

As he reached for it a foot came down.

Bunny's head snapped up. Pitch was standing over him with a cold expression. His foot was crushing his paw. Bunny grit his teeth in pain as Pitch twisted his foot.

"How does it feel like to know that once I'm done with you I'm going to go get back what's mine?" Bunny felt another Nightmare jump onto his back. He ignored it and instead glared at Pitch. "Once I go to the new place he's at. What's with that surprised face? Did you think I wouldn't know if you moved Jack?"

Bunny quickly hid his surprised look. He knew Pitch would eventually find out, but this soon? How did he know that they had moved him? Was he spying on them? Did he know where Jack was? He couldn't ask Pitch, but he needed to find out if he knew.

"It won't take me long to find out where he's at, and when I find out where he's at," Pitch stopped for a moment but Bunny was too busy silently letting out a relieved sigh to notice. "Let's just say that I'll make sure he won't ever think about leaving my side. I can be quite _persuasive_."

Bunny growled and tried to throw all the Nightmares off. Pitch was dead. He tried to pull his paw from under Pitch's foot but he only succeeded in getting more pressure on it. Bunny's eye twitched, the only sign that showed that he was in pain.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Am I on your hand?" Pitch sneered as he started to grind his foot into the ground.

"I only feel pity for you Pitch. Taking advantage of a kid, abusing him, threatening him with his source of power." Bunny stared directly at Pitch's eyes. He watched as surprise flashed behind them only to get pushed aside by anger.

"I'm going to make sure that Jack pays for what _you've_ done. In fact I'm thinking about letting you live long enough to see Jack suffer." Pitch was stepping on his hand so hard he was sure it would break any minute now. The pain however was beginning to fade only to be replaced by the anger that was starting to form. Pitch's words made his blood boil. Bunny brought his free hand down towards his pouch ready to grab an egg bomb. Pitch immediately noticed the action and brought his foot forward.

It collided with his face with such so much force that the only reason he didn't go flying was because Pitch was holding him down. His shoulder took the whole brunt force of the hit when his head snapped backwards. The taste of copper flooded his mouth, and for a moment he blacked out.

He came back slowly with Pitch's foot nudging his head. Bunny felt something wet drip down his mouth. It took a moment but he forced his eyes open, only to realize that he was on the ground. From his angle he could see the fight going on. Yetis, elves, and his warrior eggs were battling fiercely against the Nightmares. The other two Guardians weren't visible but he knew that by now they probably had noticed that he was gone.

"Is that all the so called _guardians _have? Jack takes harder hits than you." Pitch grabbed him by his ears and raised his head up. Bunny glared at him, pushing the dizziness to the back of his mind.

Not hesitating at all he brought his free hand up and twisted Pitch's wrist to the side. Pitch not expecting it, stumbled to the side, and in the process stepped off his hand. Not wasting any time Bunny twisted to the side with all the strength he could muster. He managed to throw off the Nightmares that were on his back, and with a kick he eliminated the one biting his foot.

He reached into his pocket and grabbed an egg bomb before throwing it at the Nightmares around him. It exploded in a barrage of colors but he didn't spare it another second and instead crawled back to his feet. He hissed slightly in pain as he accidentally put weight on his injured foot. Not keeping his eyes off of Pitch, who already had his scythe in his hands, he put less weight on his foot.

He watched him warily knowing he was going to attack at any moment. At this point he was in a very bad position. He didn't have his weapons. They were still on the floor by Pitch, and there was no way he would be able to reach them. He was stuck using his fists, which at this point wasn't much. He was in no position to fight. Bunny couldn't even see straight, his head was spinning so much that Pitch was starting to double, and his arm was starting to bleed again.

He was definitely in a bad position. He was pretty sure that he was starting to wobble. He didn't even have the correct balance to fight, and Pitch was going to use this to his advantage.

"You look so pathetic right now that I think I'm going to take some pity on you." To anybody else it would have seemed just like that, but he knew better. Pitch was only going to have fun with him. Proving his point Pitch's scythe was replaced with a bat.

He didn't say anything and lunged at him. Bunny moved out of the way just in time just as the bat came swinging down centimeters from his head. He swung his fist at Pitch's exposed side hoping to get a hit but it was blocked with sand. Not having any time to react the bat hit him in the arm. He hissed in pain before backing away. Glaring at Pitch he put some distance in between them, holding his now _more _injured arm.

Pitch simply smirked before disappearing. Bunny blinked a couple times to make sure it wasn't just him. He groaned as he realized that Pitch was using the shadows to disappear. Now Pitch could appear at any moment. He raised his hands in precaution as he made a slow circle around, watching for any movements.

He also kept an eye on the Nightmares around him but none of them had moved. It seemed like Pitch had told the Nightmares to leave him alone. There were still some nearby but most weren't paying attention to him, and were focused on the fight around them. Bunny limped cautiously towards his weapons that were on the ground. Once he reached them he looked around again before bending down and picking them up.

As soon as he bent over something hit him from behind. A loud grunt escaped his lips as he fell down. Not a second later Pitch's foot hit him straight in the ribs. He rolled on the ground until he came to a stop. The stars blurred high above him, and for a moment they were the only thing he could see until Pitch blocked it with his body.

"It's over." Pitch said gleefully, pointing the edge of the blade at his neck.

Bunny didn't flinch instead he simply stared Pitch straight in the eye. He wasn't about to go out showing fear. One second Pitch was raising the scythe ready to bring it down and then he suddenly froze.

Wrapped around Pitch's arm was Sandy's whips, and against Pitch's throat was North's sword. North's eyes narrowed dangerously as he stood behind Pitch. Sandy was staring at Bunny instead, his eyes full of concern.

"It's over Pitch." North pressed the blade a little closer to his neck. Pitch simply smiled, until he started to chuckle. Not wanting to wait for Pitch to have a laughing fit, Bunny rolled away from the scythe. He stumbled to his feet almost falling down again in the process.

"Do you really think it's that simple? I'm not going down so easily." Pitch grinned. "And If I were you I would be more _concerned _about what could be happening to _somebody _right now."

Bunny froze, and stared at Pitch. Jack? Could he be in danger? But Pitch had said he didn't know where he was. Either way he couldn't risk anything happening to Jack.

"What are you talking about?" He demanded. "I'm pretty sure you told me you don't know where he's at."

Pitch stared at him lazily. "He radiates so much fear I can practically taste it. There's no way to _escape _from fear. Ever wonder why I'm so powerful?"

Bunny tensed. He had had that exact thought when they had fought. He had even asked North about it. But what did he mean by not being able to escape from fear? Now that he looked at Pitch more closely he realized that he was relaxed and almost seemed comfortable. They had Pitch surrounded but he had a feeling that he was in that position because he wanted to.

"Either way I think I've wasted enough time here." Pitch's eyes flickered to him. "Remember, you can't escape from fear."

As soon as he said those words more Nightmares appeared. Bunny groaned in annoyance as they started to advance on him. He moved backwards trying not to get trampled. Out of the corner of his eye he saw movement but he wasn't sure. The Nightmares didn't give him a chance to check, and instead prepared themselves to jump on him. As a last effort to protect himself he raised his arms up, but the hit never came. He slowly lowered his arm to see a yeti standing in front of him.

More joined the yeti at eliminating the Nightmares. Bunny watched them for a few seconds before turning his attention towards Pitch. His eyes wandered around the area but Pitch was gone. Standing there with frustrated expressions were North and Sandy. He started limping towards them. Sandy noticed and immediately went to his side to help him. Bunny didn't protest and accepted the help. Together they made their way to North who was picking up his weapons.

"Pitch managed to get away but not before nearly killing Sandy. He said that we better watch our shadows because we aren't safe from him." North eyed him. "He also said that when he found Jack we would know. We also have to find a different entrance now because this one disappeared."

Bunny sighed. "We failed at defeating him now, and I honestly don't know if we can afford to fight him again. What I don't understand is why he didn't finish us off when he had the chance. That's never good news. He's up to something, and to add more worries in, now we have to make sure he doesn't find Jack."

The other two Guardians nodded, each of them deep in their thoughts. Bunny's eyes observed all the damage. Black sand littered the floor, with pieces of trees also decorating the floor. It appeared that the one that had suffered the most damage was him. Yetis were going around, with only a couple of bruises, and cuts, helping pick up elves. His warrior eggs simply stood there not doing anything.

They were a mess.

"We have a lot of things to do but first thing first. You need medical attention." North grinned evilly before reaching over and picking him off his feet. Not expecting it he let out a yelp.

"North!"

* * *

Jack flinched as Jamie slowly started to curl into him. As Jamie's head tried to snuggle into his chest he realized he would have to move his arm up. After looking around he hesitantly raised his arm up. Almost immediately Jamie leaned his head on his shoulder. His face became more peaceful and relaxed. He watched as Jamie's chest rose up and down in a steady rhythm. A small smile worked its way to his face as he wrapped his arm around Jamie. To his surprise Jamie smiled in his sleep.

It had slowly started to get late, and Sophie had to leave. She had of course given him a hug, which had made him freeze up but eventually he had returned the hug. When she had let go he decided to please her and made it snow in the room again. That had resulted in laughter from both Jamie and Sophie. At some point he had let out a small chuckle but it was lost with the other laughter.

Jamie after a short while also had to go to sleep. His mom had entered the room and Jack had to move out of the way so she wouldn't go through him. Watching the way she had cuddled and kissed Jamie had made his chest hurt. It got to the point where it was too much and he had to look away. Seeing that type of affection had brought up a bit of resent. He had never got that type of affection before.

Why did he **deserve **it? What had Jack ever done to _deserve _what was happening to him? _He _didn't deserve it!

That thought alone had shocked him, and brought him out of his dark thoughts. He had never, _ever_ had thoughts like those. For a moment he had felt something dark inside him. He had felt hate, anger, resent, and _jealousy. _And for a moment he had felt his power spark. Jamie, and his mom had felt it. The room had turned cold for a moment, and an unknown wind caused all there hairs to blow back.

To say he had been terrified would have been an understatement. It felt like he had been a totally different person. Jamie had sent him a questioning look that had snapped him out of the state that he had been in. He had immediately pulled back his powers, and had apologized to Jamie. Jamie had stared at him for a few seconds before turning back towards his mom. He had laughed it off trying to shake off his mom's suspicion.

It had slowly worked. His mom had still been a little wary but Jamie had managed to distract her. Now that he was left alone again to his thoughts, that moment replayed itself in his mind. Unconsciously he wrapped his arm a little tighter around Jamie bringing him closer to his body. He let out a soft sigh, and leaned his head back on the pillows. From that angle he could see the light that entered from the window.

It showered the room in a light blue. It was relaxing, and comforting to him. The tension slowly faded from his body, and he found his eyes slowly closing. His head started to fall to side as the fatigue started to win. Just as he was starting to fall asleep the same sensation that he had felt back at North's place appeared.

His eyes snapped open just as his chest started to tighten. A wave of fear crashed over him as his chest tightened even more. He knew there was only a couple of seconds before something would happen. The only thing he could do was wait, and that was the worst part.

Waiting.

After a couple of moments where nothing happened Jack slowly relaxed. Maybe he was just too nervous. Maybe it just had been nothing.

In that moment pain overclouded his senses. It spread from his chest to every part of his body. Still being able to think correctly he took his arm off of Jamie. Instead he clutched the blankets in a deadly grip trying to let the pain pass. His head titled up as he tried his hardest not to scream out in pain.

It felt like he was on _fire._

Every nerve on his body felt like it was burning. Tears sprung to his eyes, and his breathing got harsh as he tried not to scream. There was so much pain. If felt like he was being burned alive, and that was the worst thing for _him. _Heat, warmth, and fire. It was something that Pitch used often.

Pitch dumping boiling water on him.

Pitch locking him in a room where the temperature rose to dangerous levels for him.

Pitch making him walk on a floor that was scorching.

All the memories assaulted him as he started to shake from the pain. It didn't help him at all, living those memories again but he couldn't push them away. The pain then suddenly changed. It changed from being on fire, to a sudden burst of pain. It _felt _like Pitch had just broken his staff again. Not being able to hold back a scream anymore he opened his mouth. Nothing came out but small wheezes.

The taste of copper made him realize that he had bitten his lip to keep quiet. A trail of blood dripped down his chin but he made no move to wipe the blood off. He was still in too much pain to move. The only thing he did was stay motionless, still wheezing.

His back had at some point arched up, and Jamie's head had fallen onto his legs but he was still asleep. After a couple of minutes the pain slowly disappeared. He slowly lowered himself back down onto the pillows. A thin layer of sweat covered his skin. Jack raised an arm to wipe off the sweat but he stopped as pain spread across his face.

He hissed and gingerly touched his face. To his surprise his skin had peeled back. Using the small amount of light that was visible he examined his arms, and hands. Red spots littered his arms. So his thoughts had been right. His staff did directly affect him, and he had no doubt that Pitch had just decided to burn his staff.

A tremble shook his body. He didn't even want to imagine what his staff looked like. Another tremble racked his body and soon he couldn't stop his body from trembling. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop his body. Not even the thought of waking up Jamie could stop him from shaking.

Just when he thought things couldn't get worse an ominous feeling made him tense up. He immediately recognized that feeling. It was one he got a lot when he was in Pitch's lair. His hairs stood up at the back of his neck. Somebody was watching him. His eyes snapped over to the window. His breath stopped, and his heart skipped a beat.

His eyes meet yellow ones.

* * *

**Err sorry about the longer wait. I started summer band and well things got busy again. Sorry about that. That last line sounds like trouble. Yikes! I also wanted to say that I really enjoy all your comments. Honestly sometimes they make me laugh like a weirdo. I do get weird looks from my family, but nothing can take away the happy smile I have on my face.**


	19. Defiance

**Guess who's alive? I'm so sorry for the long wait. My word document kind of failed and well I had to type part of the chapter on my phone. And then school started, I got sick, and well things got busy, but don't worry I'll continue until my last breath….**

** Disclaimer: Don't own ROTG.**

* * *

Seconds trickled by but neither of them moved. He was in too much surprise, confusion, and fear. Mostly fear that overclouded his senses and left him frozen. That color would haunt him forever. It was engrained into his head to the point where that color almost triggered a panic attack.

Those _eyes _haunted him in his sleep, and every time his eyes were open. They reminded him of the fact that he would never be free. Even when he was away from him, he wasn't and wouldn't _ever _be free from him. He could never escape from Pitch's grasp. The scars that he had caused him would never truly heal.

A burning sensation snapped him out of his thoughts. It took him a moment to realize that he had stopped breathing. He forced himself to take a breath. It was shaky, and short, but it got oxygen back to his lungs. He tried his best to keep breathing but those eyes alone stole his eyes.

After what seemed like minutes, but were probably only seconds it moved. He watched horrified as it managed to enter the room. Immediately the air turned cold. He was used to the cold but _this _cold was different. It was one that chilled him to the bone. A cold that was filled with darkness, and fear.

He didn't get to linger on the feeling as the Nightmare slowly started moving. His breath hitched, and he tensed as it got closer. He knew what this meant. _He _was there for him. The inedible had finally happened.

It raised its head up before letting out a whine. Jack tensed as Jamie shifted in his lap. He looked down scared that he had woken up. To his relief he was still asleep but Jamie's face was starting to twist into one of discomfort. Almost as if sensing the Nightmare. As he watched Jamie curl closer to him seeking comfort, a sense of protectiveness formed. In that instance he saw a part of himself reflected in Jamie.

He couldn't remember how many times he had yearned for a sense of comfort. Nights bled away and still he sat against the wall seeking _any _form of affection. Those nights were the worst. The loneliness would threaten to swallow him whole. Doubt would eat away at him, and questions would flood his mind. What had he done to deserve this? Had he done something wrong, and was now paying the consequences? Or was there something wrong with him?

_Why did nobody care for him?_

His master was the only one that occasionally showed him signs of affection, and even that was replaced by bad memories. Those were the moments he lived for. He soaked up all those small gestures, and touches. And right now he saw all of those lonely nights, where he wished, b_egged _for anybody to help, in Jamie.

Expect this time it would be different. Jamie wouldn't be alone while he was here. No, he would be there to protect him.

His eyes hardened a bit as he watched the Nightmares eyes move down to Jamie. It let out another whine that made Jamie shift. He held his breath as Jamie's eyes slowly started to open. They were hazy with sleepiness as they snapped to his blue ones. For a moment panic clouded his eyes as Jamie didn't recognize him. Just as quickly as it came it disappeared.

Jamie opened his mouth to say something but the Nightmare beat him to it. A loud snort drew their attention. Jamie whipped his head towards the Nightmare, before letting out a gasp. His eyes widened as he took in the creature in front of him. A moment later he shot up, backing away from it. His eyes were wide and filled with alarm.

"What is that?" Jamie scooted over until their arms were touching. He resisted the urge to flinch and scoot away. He had to remind himself that he had to protect Jamie. All it took was seeing the small amount of fear that was starting to form in Jamie's eyes to make his decision. He brought his arm across Jamie's chest, shielding him from the Nightmare.

"It's a Nightmare. P-Pitch controls them." He stuttered over Pitch's name but if Jamie noticed he didn't say anything. The Nightmare slowly moved forward, and he pressed his arm against Jamie harder.

"What is it doing?" Jamie asked.

He hesitated for a moment. "I-I thi-, the Nightmare might h-have recognized me. P-Pitch might have t-told them to look for m-me." He cut off sharply the second word.

Almost as if it understood him it took a couple of steps forward. Its eyes were no longer trained on Jamie instead they were watching him. He watched it carefully knowing it could attack at any moment. It lowered its head before charging straight at him. He barely had time to push Jamie away before the Nightmare barreled into him. A small cry escaped his lips as he was shoved off the bed.

His arms were rendered useless as they got tangled on his way down. His chin hit the ground with no protection and with a sickening crack. The rest of his body also hit the floor sending shots of pain in his head and other parts of his body. He let out a groan as he shifted on the ground. The world was spinning, and he no longer knew where the ceiling was or where the floor was. He tried to ignore the way everything spun around him as he struggled to get up. His limbs flailed around almost like he was a newborn.

"Jack!" Jamie whispered loudly. The panic in his voice encouraged him to get up on his knees. Even though everything was spinning he could make out Jamie crawling to the edge of the bed.

"I'm o-okay." He said that right as the Nightmare jumped down in front of him.

Jack blinked trying to get the world straight again. Just in time he saw the Nightmare getting ready to charge at him. Out of pure instinct he raised his hands in front of him. He drew on the limited power he had. The power felt weak and very unstable, like it would die out any moment. He forced the panic down and instead thought about protecting Jamie. To his complete surprise ice shot out freezing the Nightmare mid-charge. He lowered his shaking hand in surprise.

A heavy silence hung in the air. One that had them unmoving. He was still too caught up on what he had just done. Pieces of memories flashed before his eyes of earlier times when he had destroyed Nightmares. He was snapped out of his thoughts as Jamie jumped off of the bed. He avoided the Nightmare before dropping to his knees in front of him.

"Jack! Are you okay?" Jamie's voice was filled with worry. "You're bleeding, and your face is red!"

It took him a moment to realize what he was talking about. His tongue flickered out to the cut on his lip but quickly retreated when it started stinging. He had forgotten about the blood that had dripped down his mouth, and the red spots that now littered his body. His eyes flickered over to Jamie's chocolate ones, taking in the panic and _fear. _He knew what he had to do. There was no point in worrying him by telling him the truth.

His lips froze as he tried to lie. He swallowed roughly, and tried again.

"I bit my l-lip when I f-fell."

Jamie stood up suddenly leaving him startled. He watched him confused as he came back with something in his hand. Without saying a word he stretched his arm out, handing him a tissue. When he didn't grab it right away Jamie gently placed it on his hand. At that moment he realized that Jamie was offering him the tissue.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Jamie asked him. His eyes were wide and full of concern giving him an even more innocent look.

"D-don't worry." He even attempted to smile.

Jamie looked at him strangely for a moment before lunging at him. Two small arms wrapped themselves around his thin frame. He let out a yelp as Jamie crashed into his chest. His head snuggled into his shoulder. Jack's eyes widened as he stared ahead dumbfounded. Hesitantly he wrapped his free arm around Jamie.

How many times was this going to happen to him? It only made his heart clench painfully. In a way it was only crueler. He could pretend this was going to last but he would only be lying to himself. It was all going to end, and the small hope that was barely starting to form was going to be destroyed. At the end the only thing that would still be there would be the memories of this, and even that would eventually be _corrupted. _It would all get taken away and at this point he wasn't sure if he would be able to stand it.

It was a double-edged sword.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Jamie seemed to have realized that what he had done, and his face was starting to turn red. "Do you think there was only one?"

Jamie started to scoot back but Jack could still see the panic swirling in his eyes. He reached out and grabbed his arm that was starting to unwrap from him. For a moment a flash of fear went through him as Jamie looked at him surprised. He swallowed down the fear and gently tugged him forward. Jamie got the message and leaned forward again. This time he didn't hesitate as much as he wrapped an arm around Jamie.

"I'm n-not s-sure. It could have been a c-coincidence." If it was a coincidence then maybe there was a chance that Pitch didn't know where he was, and if it wasn't then he had little time. A sense of dread was forming.

"Do you think he'll notice if ones missing?" Jamie's question made his heart skip a beat. It was a possibility that he hadn't thought about. He had never really paid as much attention as he should have to the Nightmares. He avoided anything that had to do with them, and now it was backfiring.

"I-I don't know." He answered truthfully. Jamie didn't say anything back and for once the silence didn't bother him.

Time ticked away but neither of them moved, but Jack for once in his life was at peace. Having Jamie there with him changed everything. He no longer felt scared, and lonely. Jamie was providing the comfort that he had longed for. It made him feel safe, something that he wasn't used to. A small smile started to form as he stared at Jamie's face. His head was snuggled into his shoulder with his legs draped over his own. Jamie's eyes were now closed, having lost the fight to stay awake.

The feeling of protectiveness was starting to get stronger with every second. He was still baffled at how friendly, and trusting he was to him. He couldn't deny how happy that made him.

It almost made him feel like, a _brother._

His eyes widened at what he had just said. Someone like him didn't deserve something like that. Pitch's words echoed through his head. Cruel, cold, and sharp. Always mocking him, always degrading him, always _true. _His eyes looked straight ahead but not really looking at anything.

He knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep. There was too much on his mind. From what had just happened, to his staff being burned, and the looming threat of Pitch finding him. Now that he thought about it, he was no longer _as _scared at what was going to happen to him, he was still terrified, but _now _he was more worried about what could happen to Jamie. If anything happened to Jamie he would never forgive himself.

He let out a soft sigh. He could feel the time ticking by, and he just dreaded the moment when the time ran out. Now that the adrenaline was fading away all his injuries were coming back at full force. Most of the pain was coming from his head. He was sure a nasty bruise was forming on his chin already. He swallowed, and tried to distract himself. He glanced down at the tissue. It was covered in red.

His blood.

The more he looked at his blood the redder it seemed to get. The moonlight gave it a sparkly appearance. He crumpled the tissue in his hand, becoming nauseated at the sight of his blood. He had seen his blood to many times, and it was something that he no longer wished to see. He swallowed trying to get rid of those images. Instead he leaned his head back, and closed his eyes.

Maybe if he tried he would be able to get some shut eye. At some point his head sagged down, and his chin ended up on top of Jamie's forehead.

* * *

He never knew at what point he fell asleep until something woke him. Jack's head jerked up, his eyes opening at the same time. His breath quickened as his eyes searched around the room frantically. When he didn't see anything he let out a shaky breath. He leaned back against the wall trying to calm his heart. Something had woken him up, and now he had a very bad feeling.

"I wouldn't relax just yet."

His head snapped over to the corner so fast it hurt his neck. His eyes, and mouth widened in horror. Standing there in the corner was his worst nightmare.

"What's with that expression? It's almost like I'm unwelcomed." Pitch's eyes were the only thing visible in the dark.

In that moment Jamie shifted against him, reminding him of the fact that he was in a very vulnerable position. His eyes glanced down at him for a second before looking back up at Pitch. He hadn't moved an inch but that didn't comfort him in any way.

"Now well you look at that." Pitch took a step forward, no longer hidden in the shadows. "It seems like you have a believer. I guess the unimaginable does happen. Too bad that it won't last," His eyes hardened as Pitch stared at him straight in the eye. "Of that I'll make sure."

The threat made him curl his arms around Jamie bringing him closer. He was especially vulnerable with Jamie in the middle. Pitch wouldn't hesitate to use it against him, but what could _he _do? He wasn't strong enough to even think about fighting Pitch. But at the bottom of his heart he knew he had to protect Jamie.

"I think it's time that he has a little nightmare. Don't you think?" Pitch raised a hand with sand swirling around it. "What's about to happen isn't too _child _appropriate."

His eyes widened at the implication, but the first part that Pitch said was what caught his attention. He knew what Pitch's nightmares were like, having experienced them countless times, and he wasn't sure if he was willing to let that happen to Jamie. A quick glance down to Jamie's face that was sleeping peacefully only served to tear him apart. There wasn't anything he could do against Pitch, but he knew he couldn't just let Pitch get away with it.

"What are you waiting for?" As Pitch took another step forward he shielded Jamie by twisting his body so it was covering his. Pitch's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I really do hope that for your own health that you're not doing what I think you're doing."

The small amount of bravery, and defiance was slowly fading. Pitch's threat was enough to make him want to curl up in a ball. To add to his horror Jamie was starting to move in his arms. He watched with panicked eyes as Jamie started to open his eyes. Jamie yawned and brought a hand up to rub his eyes.

"Jack? Jack?" His heart clenched at Jamie's innocent voice. When he didn't answer Jamie raised himself off of his chest. His eyes were more alert now. "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? Let me tell you something child. It would be a good idea if you decided to back away. I'm just here for Jack, and I rather that you stay in one piece." Pitch's voice was even. There wasn't a trace of emotion in his voice.

Jamie's head whipped towards Pitch almost as fast as he did. He couldn't see Jamie's face but Pitch's face was enough. A small sneer appeared on Pitch's.

"Now where are my manners? My name's Pitch, but you probably know me better as the boogieman." This time when he took another step forward the light showed his bruised face.

Jamie ignored him, and instead turned back towards him. His eyes were wide, and in that moment he knew that Jamie understood that Pitch was there for him.

"Now Jack you know what you have to do. I suggest you get up _now_." Pitch's tone turned cold enough that it made Jamie flinch.

He looked at Jamie helplessly before putting his hand on Jamie's chest and gently pushing him away. There wasn't anything he could do about himself but he was going to make sure Jamie was safe. Even if it meant he suffered the consequences. He kept his eyes away from Jamie. He knew if he looked at him he would regret it.

He grabbed the edge of the bed as leverage to try and hoist himself up. His legs trembled, and threatened to drop him. It took all his effort to get to his feet. He grit his teeth trying to stay up. Pitch's form seemed to double as he stared at him.

"That's good now come here." Pitch raised a finger and motioned for him to come over there.

He kept his eyes trained on Pitch, knowing that if he looked at Jamie he would crumble. He forced himself to take a step forward. He almost took another one but Jamie pulled his arm. Jack blinked but didn't look down. His eyes started watering as Jamie started tugging on his arm.

"Jack, don't do it!" He knew that he was seconds away from looking down. "Please! Don't go with him! Please."

His will crumbled and he looked down. Jamie's eyes were full of despair and panic as he held him. He probably had a faint idea of what was going to happen to him.

"I-I have to." His response came out weak.

"You don't have to. You always have a choice!" Jamie's words made him freeze. Jamie seemed to realize the same thing and continued. "I know it doesn't seem like there's one, but there is. Even if it's a small one. At the end it's you who has to live with your choices. It's a risk but there's always risks. You just have to decide if it's worth it."

His eyes widened at his words. Could it be true? Was there really a choice? Could he really choose not to go with Pitch? His hands started to tremble.

"You know for such a young kid you are quite the wise person." Pitch didn't seem to be the least bothered by what Jamie had just said. Instead there was a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You know that could have helped him a long time ago. _Now? _Well I don't know if it's of any help."

The last sentence was basically a sneer. Next to him Jamie flinched. His reaction was enough to snap him out of his daze. Right now he had a choice, and he was going to make sure Jamie didn't suffer because of him. It didn't matter what happened to him.

With a bit of difficulty he turned and grabbed Jamie's arm. "Don't worry. It's for the b-best. You'll be safe. J-just promise me you'll take care of your s-sis-sister."

Jamie's eyes widened, but he nodded. It looked like he wanted to say something but instead he remained quiet.

"Now that the beautiful reunion is over, I'm afraid to tell you that Jack lied." His head snapped towards Pitch. He knew the look that was starting to form on Pitch's face. "We can't have let Jack have any believers. That unfortunately means that you'll have to forget all about Jack."

Jamie let out a gasp besides him, but he didn't look at him since he was still staring at Pitch. He knew Pitch would do it. There was no doubt about that.

"Forget?" Jamie started to scoot back. He watched helplessly as Pitch took another step forward, and forced Jamie to take another one back.

He flinched as Pitch brushed past him, but he paid him no attention. His focus was entirely on Jamie who had now backed up. He turned around not caring about anything but Jamie.

"Don't worry, you won't feel much. You'll just wake up with no recollection of this. It'll turn all of this into a _nightmare_." Pitch didn't seem to notice the way Jamie had reached into his coat, and was discretely reaching into its pocket, but he did. His eyes widened, and he forced himself to hold in a gasp. He knew what he was doing, and what he had to do now.

With Pitch's back to him he had a chance to get Jamie's attention. He waved his arm enough to make Jamie's eyes flicker to him. He looked at down at his hand and back to him. A look of understanding appeared on his face before it was gone. He gave him a nod before Jamie looked back at Pitch. He watched Jamie's hand curl inside the pocket, and he knew it was time to act.

He took a deep breath before stepping forward. It took him less than four steps to get in-between Pitch and Jamie. Summoning up all the bravery he had he looked at Pitch straight in the eye. He didn't miss the way Pitch's eyes widened in surprise, but it was gone before he could truly see it.

"And here I thought you were smart Jack. All you had to do was stand by and watch." Just standing in front of Pitch was enough to start making him tremble. He was standing in front of his _greatest _fear. The source of his pain, loneliness, and fear. "Now you're going to have to suffer the consequences.

He couldn't look behind him but he had to make sure Jamie knew when to do it. "I-I can't let you h-hurt Jamie."

Pitch let out a laugh. "It's not like you can stop me. The only thing you're doing is making things worse for yourself."

He swallowed, and took a step backwards, his arm reaching for Jamie. Once he found his shoulder he gave them a squeeze. Jamie wasted no time and raised his arm with the globe in his hand. At that moment Pitch seemed to realize what was going on.

Pitch raised his arm and a moment later he was sent sprawling. His back hit the floor roughly, and a second later he was staring at the ceiling. He had forgotten how fast Pitch could summon his sand, but he could only hope Jamie had managed to do it. Ignoring the pain he turned his head towards Jamie. He was bringing the globe down, and for a moment it looked like it was going to hit the ground, but then there was black sand wrapping around Jamie's hand. It swallowed his hand whole, and Jamie let out a cry.

"Jamie!" He tried to get to his feet but something wrapped itself around his body. His chin hit the floor again making his vision blur, and double for a moment. He shook his head clearing his vision. By the time he tried to move the sand had his arms, and legs immobilized. The only thing he could do was twist his head towards them.

Jamie was on his knees, holding his hand that no longer had the globe. Instead the globe was in Pitch's hand who was glaring at them.

"Will you look at that? An escape plan. That might have worked better, if it would have a_ctually _worked." There was no hint of humor in his voice.

From his angle he could see Jamie holding his hand. Their eyes met and he could see the fear, and pain in his eyes. He was pretty sure his eyes reflected the same thing. As Jamie winced he looked down at his hand. There were thin lines of red on his hand.

"Now this could have been really easy, but you had to make this harder. All you managed to do was get Jamie hurt. You could have just obeyed me, but it seems like you always have to go against me." Pitch held the globe in his hand examining it with fake interest. "Now you'll have to face the consequences, and you know it won't be pretty."

Pitch was now walking towards him, the globe disappearing in the sand. He thrashed around trying to get free but all he managed to do was make his head throb. The sand had all his limbs tied together in a painful way.

Pitch stopped and bent down on his knees. A hand shot out and grabbed his hair lifting him a couple of inches off the ground. A small cry escaped his lips as his hair was pulled savagely.

"You're going to keep quiet while I take care of Jamie." A second later sand was wrapping around his mouth. It tightened until it turned painful, and pulled at his skin.

"Now where was I? Right, I was at the part where you were going to forget about this." As Pitch got closer something akin to panic started to form. Jamie wouldn't be able to defend himself, and he had no idea what Pitch planned on doing.

Jamie was pressed up against the wall, his hand now forgotten as Pitch advanced towards him. Jack's eyes flickered over to Jamie again. As he watched him something inside of him changed. A sudden determination came over him making him narrow his eyes. This time he wouldn't let Pitch get away with hurting somebody. This _time _he would stop it but before he could do anything, something happened.

As Pitch went to grab Jamie, he did something unexpected. He brought his leg out and landed a solid kick in his gut. Pitch bent over clutching his stomach, clearly not expecting the kick. A small hesitant smile broke out on Jamie's face as he got up. As he started walking towards him he saw Pitch straighten up. Muffled yells were the only thing that made it out from the gag. More panic started to form as Pitch turned around with an expression on his face that haunted him in his sleep.

Jamie seemed to realize what was going on, and turned around but he wasn't fast enough. Pitch was behind him in less than second. Jamie let out a small cry as Pitch reached for him. Out of instinct Jamie took a step backwards only to stumble. Pitch still had his hand out as Jamie fell.

It all seemed to happen in slow motion. He watched horrified as Jamie lost his balance. There wasn't anything he could do as Jamie got closer, and closer to the ground. One horrible second later, Jamie was down, and a loud crack filled the air. He fell to the ground unconscious, a thin layer of red dripping down his forehead.

He let out a scream that was silenced by the sand. He started thrashing around, his movements out of desperation. He hadn't realized that Jamie would hit the edge, and now it was too late. Jamie was hurt, and he couldn't do anything. He was _useless. _

His eyes snapped up to Pitch as his arm came by his side again. His eyes were slightly wide with surprise, but other than that he showed no concern. Pitch looked over at him, and shrugged.

"Who would have known he would hit his head? He's still breathing so that's good, but now I don't think I even need to do anything. He just did himself the favor."

For the first time in years something akin to anger bubbled inside him. Without warning the sand around him froze, and frost spread out across the floor freezing Pitch's feet. All it took was a gentle tug, and the sand around him crumpled to pieces. He wasted no time getting over to Jamie. He started crawling towards him as Pitch let out a snarl.

"You're really asking for it you brat! You know what? My plan's changed. Now you're coming with me. You're going to regret every _thinking_ about rebelling." He barely reached Jamie's side as Pitch broke the thin ice around his feet. A fresh wave of terror made him tremble.

He only had seconds before Pitch was on him. With trembling hands, and shaking fingers he gently moved Jamie's head to the side. To his relief it was only a small cut on his head, nothing major, but that didn't stop him from feeling guilty. Just as he reached for his hand Pitch was grabbing him from behind. With a strong pull he crashed onto the ground.

He barely hit the ground before Pitch was pulling him up to his feet. An arm went around his throat, while another one went around his torso. His body bumped into Pitch a moment later. Pitch lowered his head until his mouth was brushing against his ear.

"Now if you don't want anything else to happen to Jamie, I suggest that you stop struggling _now._" His voice was sharp, and cold. Almost immediately he stopped the small resistance he was putting up. The arm that was around his throat tightened until it was hard to breathe. "I think it's time to gonow."

A small whimper escaped his lips at the thought of going back with Pitch. He couldn't do it, not after being so close to freedom. It wasn't _fair. _A stinging sensation in his eyes made him realize that they were starting to water. He had been so close, and for a moment he had actually thought that if he fought back he would stand a chance.

Pitch suddenly stiffened. He raised his head up as a Nightmare came in. He couldn't see his expression but he knew he was smiling.

"It seems like the Guardians didn't have enough with their last beating. It looks like they want more." His eyes widened, and he glanced down at Jamie who was still lying unconscious on the floor. "I say that it's time for you to say goodbye to them."

Shadows started to wrap themselves around him, and the last thing he saw was Jamie's body on the ground before he was swallowed up in darkness.

* * *

**Once again I want to apologize for the incredibly long wait. *Feels all the glares* Err, yeah I do apologize. The chapter was a little bit longer, so that wasn't too bad right? *Shrinks at all the murderous glares* Well I do want to thank everybody's support, I know waiting such a long time sucks, but I hope you have patience with me, and understand I'm a little busy. Man, I feel like a child abuser with Jamie getting hurt, but it was necessary. To any of you wondering when Tooth will get back into action, I'll just say that that's coming soon. In the next couple of chapters probably. Once again sorry for the wait, and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	20. Turn of Events

**Omg, I realize it's been months since I last updated. You have no idea how bad I feel for leaving you guys hanging. There's a longer note at the end of the chapter. However this chapter is done and ready! As I wrote the chapter things happened and well, the ending ended up completely different than what I had originally planned, but I like how it ended. Now I present you the 20th chapter!**

**Oh, and if the format's all weird it's because I had to use something other than Word. Mine stopped working so I had to use something else. Hopefully the format will be the same but just in case I'll apologize.**

**Disclaimer: Still don't own ROTG.**

* * *

The air that surrounded Pitch was so thick that he was sure that a knife could cut through it. Waiting for the Guardians to appear was making him even more nervous. What would they do when they found out about Jamie? He couldn't get rid of the desperation he was feeling. He could feel it getting worse to the point where it was starting to suffocate him.

It was starting to take his breath away leaving him to feel cold. He was used to the cold. After all he was Jack Frost. His season was winter, his powers had to do with the cold, but this cold was different. It was one that left him feeling so helpless, lost, and terrified.

The cold had never bothered him in fact it was the opposite, he loved the cold. He still loved the cold but now he wanted nothing more than to get rid of the coldness. Now he was afraid of it. The coldness only seemed to bring him pain, loneliness, rejection, and hatred.

He was tired of it. He was even willing to give up his powers, anything to not be in pain anymore. To not be so afraid.

A strong breeze from the wind made him snap out of his thoughts. His mouth twitched up slightly at the wind's attempt to cheer him up. The wind hadn't forgotten him. Even after all the years the wind recognized him, and embraced him without hesitation. When he had been on the sleigh he had felt the wind for the first time after such a long time.

The wind ruffled through his hair in a comforting way. It was tugging at him in an almost urgent way. It felt like the wind was trying to get him away from Pitch. He lowered his eyes trying to ignore the wind. He knew what the wind was trying to do but there wasn't anything he could do. If he moved he risked setting Pitch off.

He could practically feel Pitch's anger. It was rolling off of him with such an intensity that it seemed to suffocate him. He was practically trembling, shaking like a leaf, in Pitch's hold. The arm that was around his neck kept loosening, and tightening. It felt like Pitch was refraining himself from strangling him. His hands that were tightly bound in front him shook.

Pitch's mouth was suddenly near his ear. "When they get here you're going to stay quiet. Don't make a single sound, and don't even think about moving, or escaping. If you even try what you just did back there you won't be the one paying the consequences. It'll be your little friend that's on the ground right now that'll suffer the consequences."

He stiffened. "And I don't think that you want that on your conscious. Now the only thing that you're going to do is stand there nice and quiet."

At that moment the wind sensed Pitch's threatening voice, and blew fiercely making Pitch stumble. Muttering a curse Pitch grabbed him roughly pulling him closer.

"If you don't stop the wind right now I'm going to make sure that Jamie doesn't get a single night without nightmares." Pitch growled.

Flinching he nodded. He raised his hands as much as he could trying to soothe the wind. "Wind, p-please s-s-s-stop-p. I k-know you're trying to help m-me."

For a moment he feared that the wind wasn't going to listen to him but to his relief it slowly died down. Just before it died down completely the wind seemed to wrap around him in an embrace that brought him a moment of peace but then it was gone leaving him feeling more lonely than before.

With the wind gone he was truly alone with Pitch. There was no escaping. He had risked it all with Jamie, and he had failed. His attempt had only resulted in Jamie getting hurt. The only thing left for him now was pain, and suffering. He tried to push away the images that were popping into his mind about what his punishment would be. He had gotten caught by the Guardians, made two believers, and then tried to escape.

"They're approaching." Pitch chuckled. "Time for the show to begin."

Sand crawled its way up to his mouth but he put no resistance as it wrapped itself around his mouth tightly. As sand made its way down to his leg and into his cast his eyes widened. A muffled whimper escaped from the sand as he watched the sand disappear into the cast.

"I almost forgot. One more thing." Pitch snapped his fingers letting go of his neck in the process.

His eyes widened in horror as he remembered what had happened the last he had snapped his fingers. He clamped his eyes shut as sand started wrapping around his neck. Seconds later the shape of a collar formed.

"Can't have Sandy trying the same thing, and if he does I have a way of making sure he can't take you again." Pitch purred. "And maybe I'll keep it for a while until you learn your lesson."

He took a shaky breath trying not to hyperventilate. The weight of the collar, and the way it hugged his neck made him feel like he was suffocating. He knew he was just imagining it but it felt like the collar seemed to be getting tighter, and tighter. He took another deep breath through his nose in an attempt to calm himself.

He managed to get his breathing to slow down but the more he waited the more anxious he got. Minutes passed by until he heard the sound of feet stepping on snow. His eyes flickered up as he scanned the area. Near the edge of the forest he could see the outlines of the Guardians. His breath caught in his throat as the silhouettes seemed to get clearer.

As he stared at them it finally dawned on him that these were the final moments he was going to be outside. After this he would go back with Pitch, and everything would be the same again. Nothing would change. It would be like nothing had ever happened.

He wasn't prepared to face the wrath of Pitch. He never truly was but he didn't have a choice. He never had a choice but just thinking about how close he had been to being free made him want to cry. He should have never gotten his hopes up so high. He had thought that he was done doing that.

He had allowed himself to have hope, and that was his worst mistake.

After his last attempt at escaping he hadn't allowed himself to have hope again. He had actually managed to get outside. He had actually believed that he had escaped.

Jack had managed to feel the wind, see the outside world after such a long time. He had stared around in wonder, and amazement before snapping out of his daze. The trees had blurred around him as he ran until he could no longer breathe. His legs had wobbled, and threatened to drop him. Leaning against a rock he tried to catch his breath.

Being out in the cold had made him feel alive again, and even if it had only been for a couple minutes he had felt what it was like to be free again. He had felt what it was like not to feel the overwhelming darkness suffocate him. Hope had bubbled up as nothing attacked him.

A deep feeling of sadness formed as he remembered how PItch had suddenly appeared in front of him. Nothing had compared to how crushed, and terrified he had felt at that moment. At that instance he had realized that he would never be able to escape Pitch. Not matter how far he ran or where he hid Pitch would always find him.

There was no escaping him.

He lowered his head letting his bangs hide his eyes. He wouldn't be able to stand the look of disappointment, disgust, and hatred that would be present in their eyes once they found out what had happened. What he had let Pitch do. He scrunched his eyes as the footsteps got louder, and louder until he could hear voices.

"Pitch!" North's voice rang through the air.

A hand curled around his hair before jerking his head backwards. His eyes opened as tears sprung in them as his hair was pulled. Blinking rapidly to get rid of the tears he cleared his vision. Standing only a couple of feet away from him were the Guardians. Standing behind them were the yetis, and the eggs he had seen in Bunny's lair.

"Jack!" North was looking him over. His eyes were full of horror as he scanned him over.

Swallowing thickly he looked away from his face. Instead he shyly looked them over. North had multiple scratches, and bruises around his body. His eyes flickered over to Sandy who looked tired but had no visible injuries. Next to him was Bunny who looked worse than the other two. He was also covered in bruises, and holding his injured arm close to his body. His mouth was covered, and smeared in blood. The more he stared at him the more aware he was of how he was keeping weight off of one foot.

Bunny was looking him over too. He scanned him from his feet up until he saw his neck. Bunny's eyes narrowed dangerously before snapping his eyes up to Pitch.

"What is that around his neck?!" Bunny's voice was low, and dangerous. There was a slight slur to his words but he still managed to make them come out sharp.

Pitch let out a soft cackle making him flinch. "Somebody got hit a little too hard on the head. Why don't we let Jack answer that one."

The gag around his mouth disappeared. His eyes widened in horror as everybody's eyes landed on him. After a couple of seconds of silence Pitch sighed.

"We're waiting." His head was shoved forward harshly. He opened his mouth only to close it. However Pitch's growl made him answer quickly.

"I-It's a-a c-collar." He stammered. Immediately he tried to lower his head in shame but Pitch grabbed his hair forcing his head up.

"Pitch, what did you do?" North's voice was strained.

"I think the question isn't what I did." Pitch's words made him freeze. "Everything's not just about Jack."

Bunny looked at Pitch with a confused expression. "What do you mean everything's not about Jack?"

Bunny's question made him swallow nervously. Pitch would tell them what had happened. What he had let Pitch do. They would no longer act nice to him. They would want him to suffer, to pay for what he had allowed Pitch to do.

"Aren't we a little curious?" Pitch's tone was slick. "Why don't we let Jack answer that one too?"

He stopped breathing for a second his breath catching in his throat as the Guardians focused their attention on him.

"Isn't it rude to ignore somebody?" There was a hint of amusement in Pitch's tone as his hand reached for his cheeks. Pitch's fingers dug into his cheeks making him wince. "Answer the question."

"I-I couldn't pr-protect Jamie." Each word was forced out of his mouth. Every word tore at him. "He-he got hu-hurt b-because of me. It's m-my fault."

The Guardians expressions slowly turned into one of horror at his words. Instinctively he tried to lower his head again but Pitch's hand tightened around his chin keeping it in place.

"Pitch you wouldn't dare." North's voice was full of shock as he looked straight at Pitch. North's eyes flickered down to him suddenly catching him by surprise. He looked away immediately but the quick glance he had gotten of North made him look back. His eyes weren't full of hate, disgust, or disappointment. No, instead they full of concern and sadness.

"Wouldn't what? Hurt a child?" Pitch mocked him. "It seems like it might be too late for that. A couple of decades too late if I may add."

The Guardians all seemed to wince at the last part. Bunny's eyes found his and to his surprise they softened. The look in his eyes brought him some comfort.

"I would be more concerned about the child who actually has an opportunity to continue living, and maybe even do something useful in the future." Pitch's tone was smooth as he spoke. "Jack, well I don't see him doing anything useful in the future."

Bunny glared at Pitch as he ruffled his hair violently before letting go of it. "Both of them are important."

North nodded in agreement, but Jack's eyes were on the yeti that had walked up to him. Not looking away from Pitch North leaned over and murmured something to the yeti. The yeti grumbled something back before turning around and motioning to another yeti. He watched as the yetis made their way to Jamie's house. A lump formed in his throat as he imagined the yetis finding Jamie's motionless body on the ground.

Pitch ignored the yetis and instead focused his attention on Bunny. "So you're telling me that if you had to choose between Jack, and Jamie you wouldn't know who to pick? I would think that the decision would be so easy. Why choose a child that has no chance?"

Pitch leaned his head down so his mouth was directly by his ear. He practically purred the words into his ear making him squirm. "It's not like anybody would miss him. In fact nobody would even notice if he disappeared. It would be like the first he went missing. Nobody noticed he went missing. In fact everybody was happy. Isn't that right Bunny? But that's not the point here. Nobody would care that he'd be gone."

The words stung. Pitch knew exactly what to say. Knew exactly how to hurt him, how to make him bleed. He knew that nobody had cared when he had gone missing but hearing it still hurt. He blinked rapidly as his eyes started stinging. As he tried to get the tears out of his eyes he realized that North was looking at him. His face was full of remorse.

"That's not true. This time there would be people that care. He wouldn't be alone he'd have us." North's words made him take a sharp breath.

He was only messing with him. There was no way that he could mean that. There just couldn't be any way that somebody would care for him. It wasn't true. At the end it would be a lie. It always was. It always was a lie a trick that ended with him being hurt. He would always be alone, and that was something that would never change.

Pitch pulled him closer snapping him out of his thoughts. His eyes widened, and he tensed as one of Pitch's hands went to his hair and ruffled it softly in an almost affectionate way.

"You're wrong there North. Jack was never alone. He had me. He always had me." Pitch's tone was soft.

He froze as Pitch's words registered in his mind. Pitch had always been there but that was because he was forced to be there with him. His eyebrows scrunched together in confusion. He expected Pitch's anger understood it, but this sudden kindness? It left his mind spinning. How was he supposed to react to it?

Bunny's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Don't you even try to manipulate him into thinking that you were by his side. We both know that's not the truth. You're only trying to twist his mind into thinking that he should be your side."

Instead of responding Pitch draped his arm across his shoulder bringing him closer. He turned his head to look at Pitch before looking down quickly. Jack's eyes widened in surprise, and confusion. The wind sensed his growing discomfort, and tried to help him again.

Without warning the wind picked up fiercely howling, and lifting up snow that was on the ground. The Guardians raised their arms in an attempt to shield their faces from the wind. As he watched their reactions more panic formed. Pitch had already told him to calm the wind down.

Pitch squeezed his shoulder softly. "Go ahead and tell the wind to calm down."

There was no anger in Pitch's voice as he spoke. Wasn't he mad? He had already told him once to calm the wind down, and Pitch never liked to repeat himself. As Pitch tightened his hold on his shoulder he hesitantly opened his mouth to speak.

"W-wind, I'm o-okay. I-It's okay." He whispered.

As the wind died down Pitch spoke again. "You're stressing him out. The poor thing has been through a lot recently."

This time it was Sandy who reacted. His warm kind eyes flashed dangerously. Symbols, and signs appeared above his head disappearing as fast they appeared. He tilted his head slightly to the side in confusion. He didn't understand what the symbols meant but it was clear that he was furious. Pitch didn't seem to understand him either, and if he did he ignored him.

"Looks like somebody blew a fuse. As amusing as this is I say that this has been dragged on for too long. We have important things to do, and places to be. Jack just wanted to say goodbye to you guys." Pitch glanced down at him for a moment. "Now would be a good time to say something touching. After all this is the last time you'll see each other."

North took a step forward. "We're not going to let you take Jack, and harm him."

Pitch let out a chuckle. "It almost feels like you've said that before. Oh, wait. I remember now. You said the exact same thing so many times I've lost count. I do however remember that you've failed to keep your word every single time. I'm starting to think that you're not a very good guardian."

His words made North's eyes narrow dangerously, and for the first time Jack got a glimpse of a different North. He seemed to transform before his eyes. He no longer was the gentle loving santa that kids loved.

"Don't even go there Pitch." His voice was cold, and sharp. Even Bunny and Sandy looked slightly surprised.

"Hit a nerve didn't I?" There was a smug tone to his voice. "I wouldn't worry about that too much. After all when I destroy you pathetic Guardians there won't be any need for your false promises."

All three Guardians tensed at the threat. Bunny's arm snapped out to the side to stop North from moving towards Pitch. The anger in North's eyes was so intense, so familiar that he tried to take a step back but Pitch's arm tightened keeping him in place.

"Showing your true colors? I was wondering when you would show your true self but I'm afraid now's not the time." Pitch shook his head like he was disappointed. "Look at him. He's terrified of you. And to think that I'm the monster."

North's eyes turned to him immediately. Fear went through him as he made contact for a second before hastily lowering his eyes. After a couple of seconds went by and nothing happened he hesitantly looked up before flinching.

Looking right at him was North. There was no anger in his eyes. Instead there was sadness, regret, and even horror.

"Jack." The sound of his name made him flinch again. When North spoke again his voice was much more soft, and gentle. "Jack, I am not mad at you. Do not listen to anything Pitch is telling you. He is only trying to manipulate you."

Pitch let out a laugh. "So now I'm the one who's trying to manipulate him?"

Bunny glared at him. "Don't try to act all innocent now. We're not the one who tortured a child, and just hurt another! We're not the coward who's only weak enough to make somebody submit to them by hurting them."

The grip on his shoulder tightened. "If that's what you think then there's nothing left to discuss here. There's no need for you to understand."

Bunny's eyes widened in alarm. "Wait!"

The sand that had started to surround them stopped. All the Guardians had reacted at the same time. A look of panic was sketched on their faces.

"Wait? I thought you were done insulting me. Is there more you'd like to add?" Pitch took his arm off of his shoulder to spread them in front of him. When no one spoke right away he shrugged. "No? Well in that case there's no need for me to stay."

Bunny opened his mouth before closing. His green eyes flickered to him. Something passed through his eyes but it was gone before he could figure out what it was.

"Let's trade. Jack for me." Bunny straightened up looking directly at Pitch.

He felt his mouth open in shock. His eyes widened as he looked at Bunny then Pitch. Was Bunny really willing to sacrifice himself for him?

For the first time in years Jack saw Pitch surprised. Just as quickly as it appeared it was gone. Pitch blinked as his expression went back to amusement. The corner of his mouth twitched up, and he grinned.

"Now that's something that I wasn't expecting." Pitch looked at him then Bunny again. "What an interesting turn of events."

The other two Guardians were looking at Bunny with startled looks. North leaned over and whispered something to Bunny. He shook his head and muttered something back to North. His voice sounded agitated. North looked at Bunny before saying something else but this time his expression looked somewhat defeated.

"We'll trade now. I'll give myself up and go with you. In exchange you'll give Jack to North, and Sandy" Bunny grabbed his boomerangs and held his arms up. "I'll go willing and everything if you give Jack over."

He stole a glance at Pitch. His face looked thoughtful as he observed Bunny. He frowned. Was Bunny really willing to hand himself over to Pitch so he could be with the other Guardians?

"It's really amusing to see how far you're willing to go for one thing." Pitch seemed to have made up his mind. "If I did agree would you really come along willingly, and not fight back?"

Bunny didn't hesitate to answer. "If it means that Jack will be safe then I would."

Once again he was left completely stunned. He didn't understand why Bunny was willing to go so far for him. There had to be another reason. Something that he was missing.

"Alright then. Let's trade."

Without thinking he snapped his head towards Pitch his mouth already forming words.

"W-What?" Almost immediately he shut his mouth hard enough that his teeth hit each other.

Pitch turned his head towards him. He tensed, and lowered his gaze. He had just talked out of place.

"It really seems like I'll have to teach you what the rules are again. I think I was too kind the first time." Pitch's words brought a fresh wave of fear to him. "But that'll have to wait."

He gave him one last glance before looking over at Bunny. "Like I said let's trade. I'll hand Jack over if you come with me."

"Let Jack come over here first, and take the sand off of him. Then I'll walk over." Bunny handed North his boomerangs.

Without any warning Pitch snapped his fingers making him jump violently. The collar around his neck slowly disappeared followed by the sand that was around his hands. His eyes flickered down to his leg waiting for the sand to disappear. When nothing happened he realized that Pitch had no intention of taking that sand away.

"Be a good boy and walk over there." Pitch ordered.

He took a small step forward stumbling slightly. When nothing happened he took another step forward, and another until he was directly in front of Bunny. He tried to look anywhere else but his eyes were drawn to Bunny's.

A soft smile formed on Bunny's face. "Don't worry mate. You'll be safe with them."

His eyes flickered toward the Guardians before looking back at Bunny. He was completely confused about what was going on. Bunny let out a small chuckle.

"If this will keep you safe then I'll do it. After all it's the least I can do for not having saved you that day." Bunny's eyes were full of regret as he spoke.

Before he could react Bunny was walking forward. As Bunny passed by him almost brushing against his shoulder he couldn't get rid of the urge to grab him and stop him. He didn't know what he was doing. He was going to get hurt. All because of him.

But he stayed still and did nothing as Bunny kept walking. As he stood there more guilt started to form. Bunny was going to pay for his actions just as Jamie had. His eyes burned as he turned around. Bunny was standing next to Pitch looking him directly in the face. Pitch simply grinned as he placed his hand on Bunny's shoulder. As sand started swirling around them Bunny glanced back.

"Take care of him."

With one final glance towards him Bunny turned his head away from them. With growing horror he watched as more sand started enveloping them. Before the sand completely cut them off he saw one final glance of bright green eyes against the black. Then they were gone in the same way that he had gone so many times.

Except that this time it wasn't him next to Pitch.

It was Bunny.

* * *

**So that was it! Like I said I am so incredibly sorry about the loooong wait. I swear I didn't mean for so much time to pass. Things got in the way but I finished the chapter and hopefully the next one will be soon. I feel incredibly sorry about making you wait but I want to thank you for still staying with me despite the long wait. I appreciate all the support I got during this time. You guys are awesome!**


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